Yume
by manic-intent
Summary: Collection of ficlets written for the livejournal community 31 days. Kakairu. Teacher's day .. Iruka's Rank C mission .. Iruka contracts a chakra cancer.
1. Midsummer Theatre

October 18

Good cop, bad cop

A/N: Set during the 3 year absence of Naruto in the manga. My first Kakashi x Iruka fic. /

Midsummer theatre 

"I'm really sorry, Iruka-sensei," Genma apologized for the sixth time.

Iruka sighed. "It's okay, Genma-san. Just bad luck, that's all." They were at Genma's apartment – the jounin wrapped up in the bed, his face pale and streaked faintly with sweat. Iruka and Raidou had made some space in the alarmingly balanced clutter that lay about the small room, waiting to snow in unsuspecting visitors, and they sat on two chairs that had likely never seen the light of day until today. "Nobody would have thought that your cooking could have had such an effect."

Raidou picked up the other jounin's hand, patting it with a grin. "Not that I don't appreciate you trying to cook for my birthday, Genma, but… next time, try and follow some recognized recipes, would you?"

"Yeah, yeah," Genma groused, grimacing as a fresh ripple of pain radiated from his stomach. "And the hospital refuses to spare any medical ninja to cure 'mere food poisoning'. Tsunade-sama told me that it'll be a useful lesson to myself. She's evil, you know."

"No doubt," Iruka said, dryly, very relieved that Genma had indeed tasted his concoction before bringing it to the pot luck. His cooking was a weapon in and of itself.

"But the play, Iruka-sensei," Genma persisted. "Who's going to take my place? Just about all of the other free jounin already have parts, or are on missions, and the school play for teacher's day is due to go into final rehearsals in a week, and Tsunade-sama said I would be indisposed for longer."

"I suppose I could find a chuunin," Iruka said, rubbing his temple. "But…"

"The nature of the play," Genma pointed out, "The whole point of it was to have jounin for…"

"But who do you know is free? Better that we just find some chuunin and make a few changes to the plot…"

"There's Gai-sensei," Raidou said, reluctantly.

--

Gai-sensei was flagrantly inappropriate for the role – even Raidou admitted it, after the informal audition held in the training ground for Team Gai – with Lee and the others sent away so as to preserve the secrecy of the script (at least at this stage of the production – Iruka was sure something would leak out, sooner or later).

"If you don't give up the location of Rumi-hime, I will strike you in the name of all that is just!" Gai thrust out his thumb. Sunlight gleamed off his teeth. Iruka and Raidou groaned.

"Mitsuhi is supposed to be _menacing_," Raidou said, very patiently. "And I'm fairly sure the last part of that line was not in the script."

"That was my menacing pose," Gai protested, holding the pose in question for the two ninja to study.

"No, Gai-sensei," Iruka said carefully, "I think Naruto-kun calls that your 'nice guy' pose…"

"There's an obvious difference," Gai pointed out, "In my 'nice guy' pose, my legs are slightly bent, so as not to emphasize the looming height of the green beast of Konoha!"

"Unfortunately, such a subtle detail may be lost on the children," Raidou said wearily, "And we don't really want it to become a parody."

"Oh." Gai deflated visibly, then abruptly brightened again. "In that case, I will make it my personal duty to help you find a perfect Mitsuhi! Or I will do three hundred laps around Konoha hopping on one foot with a book on my head!"

Iruka glared at Raidou, as Gai teleported before they could object. "This is _your_ fault."

--

"MY ETERNAL RIVAL…!"

Kakashi grabbed a branch to steady himself, as he nearly toppled out from the tree at the bellow from below. Granted, it was a little careless of him, but the Icha Icha novel he was reading was just about to get into the climax regarding the real identity of the heroine's father, and he had been absolutely absorbed (the fact that the setting was in some sort of bawdry house, the heroine having done rather unbelievable deeds to get to that point, had nothing to do with said absorption, of course). He peered down at Maito Gai in exasperation. "What?"

"I need your help," Gai said, looking (for the man) somewhat abashed.

"What, _now_?"

"Of course! After all, I see that you are enjoying your leisure time in this beautiful summer day."

"Later."

"Oh, the hip cool response!" Gai struck his forehead dramatically with the back of his palm, then pointed at Kakashi with his free hand. "Unfortunately, I must insist."

"Nothing you can say will possibly make me move from this spot."

--

Iruka, frazzled from having to explain to two rival pre-genin girls why they couldn't both play the same role at the same time, hid in the tiny dressing room allocated to him within Konoha's only theatre, took deep breaths, and reminded himself that grown chuunin could be patient. Patient, and not stressed at all, despite oncoming deadlines and the need to deal not only with a horde of complaining children who still couldn't remember their lines, jounin who had to be chased to come for rehearsals, chuunin who were far too busy with the rebuild effort to put any energy into acting, and the continued lack of a suitable Mitsuhi.

Yes, everything was going fine. He just needed coffee. Maybe with some suitably strong liquor. Maybe strong liquor with just a hint of coffee.

He took another deep breath.

The door to the dressing room slammed open, and Iruka automatically rolled off his slouch in the only rickety chair into a defensive crouch.

"Iruka-sensei…! I have found a Mitsuhi, as I have promised!" Gai struck his nice-guy pose. Sunlight from the tiny window gleamed off disturbingly perfect white teeth.

Iruka took a deep breath, and managed to smile, if a little fixedly, straightening up and smoothing down the white hakama of his blue kamishimo. The costume felt bulky compared to the form-fitting trousers, shirt and flak jacket he was used to, and his hair felt odd loose over his shoulders, but he had another scene to rehearse as Ojiro in an hour, and it would have been far too much of a bother to change. He peered behind Gai's shoulder at the sound of a sharp intake of breath.

Hatake Kakashi looked shocked – his single eye was wide, and the fingers of his right hand hovered just over his masked mouth. Silvery hair fell over his tilted forehead protector haphazardly, as the jounin recovered, stuffing gloved fingers into his trousers, his eye half-lidding. "Yo, Iruka-sensei…"

Gai interrupted, striking another dramatic pose (this one seemed fairly random, and looked like a convoluted sort of morning-stretch exercise with a retina-burning hip-thrust). "The… perfect… Mitsuhi…!"

Kakashi flinched slightly, and looked somewhat embarrassed to be in the same vicinity (the same continent) as the other jounin. "Er…"

Iruka took another deep breath. He could sort this out without losing his temper. He could. "Gai-sensei, thank you very much for your efforts. I would like to interview Kakashi-sensei in private now, if you don't mind."

"Of course, of course," Gai smiled. "Endeavor greatly to entertain the adorable future of Konoha, our youth! Good luck with your play!"

Both ninja waited in silence until even the footsteps could no longer be heard to ears trained to listen to the slightest sound, then Iruka slumped back into his chair, rubbing his eyes. "Um… Kakashi-sensei, did Gai-sensei somehow, well…" The word 'force' didn't seem appropriate regarding the legendary Sharingan user, but Gai seemed disturbingly persuasive. Iruka was pretty sure that he personally would do anything Gai asked him to do, on threat of having to see that hip-thrust again (agh).

"Ah… hahaha, he did," Kakashi said, his eye crinkling, one hand threading through the shock of silvery hair, scratching at his scalp, looking sheepish. "He told me that the Academy needed some help with their teacher's day play, and that I was the right person for the role. I'm sorry if he…"

"Oh. No, it's all right," Iruka covertly looked Kakashi over. An instant problem presented itself – the need to keep the Sharingan eye covered, and the possible mask psychosis. However, the issue of the eye could be solved with a few minor changes to the script (perhaps a bandage, with some mention of a recent injury). The mask, however… perhaps a scarf would do – it wasn't as though the play strictly followed historical detail, in the first place.

As to 'menacing' – well, Iruka had first-hand experience of a deadly serious Kakashi, and it had not been something he would have wished to repeat (the experience, and the content; the embarrassment, and the impotent anger). But they _were_ rather desperate…

"If you're really sure you can spare the time, Kakashi-sensei…?"

"Well. I'm currently without a genin team," Kakashi pushed his hands into his pockets again. "And I suppose I could use a break from training."

--

Five minutes into listening to Kakashi read off Iruka's copy of the script, Iruka found himself thanking the Gods for Maito Gai (a spiritual experience that he found disquieting). The jounin was so perfect for the role that he wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of him earlier, for a moment – then it occurred to Iruka that he had always written off Kakashi either as 'legendary genius ninja', 'Naruto's new sensei', and 'pervert ninja', all of which never lent itself to the need to be anything more than an acquaintance.

"You'll do well to give up the location of Rumi-hime now, or feel the edge of my blade," Kakashi's visible eye narrowed, voice a harsh snarl.

Iruka folded his arms before an imaginary Sakiko (to be played by Asuma), and colored his tone with a weariness he no longer felt, in his sheer relief, "Now, now, Mitsuhi-san, I'm sure Sakiko-san understands the danger of his situation. Why don't you just give us the information and save yourself from having to suffer the brunt of my partner's wrath? We could even come to some sort of… arrangement."

"In my opinion," 'Mitsuhi' drawled, "We should just cut off his fingers, one by one, until he tells us what we need to know."

"I dislike unnecessary violence," Iruka smiled – genuine with the lifting of stress – the smile that would make the apparently gentle and reasonable 'Ojiro' seem unnerving. His voice relaxed back to his normal tone. "And then the curtain drops for the next act. Kakashi-sensei… thank you _so_ much… I don't know what we would have done if we couldn't find a Mitsuhi within the week, and you're _amazing_ in the role, and…"

"Maa, maa," Kakashi's eye crinkled as he raised his hands. "I'll be glad to help, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka found himself struggling to find a way to reply to that, without tripping over his tongue (overwhelming relief, or so he thought), and smiled, instead, a little awkwardly, scratching his loose hair, in a silence that seemed abruptly charged with the unknown. Kakashi was studying him, quiet and solemn, the one eye flickering over the dark blue kataginu with the white inverted sakura flower design, then the pale blue kimono; the katana and wakizashi at his hips, white hakama, sandals and white tabi, then back up to his face. Iruka blushed, mistaking the stare. "It does look a little silly, doesn't it? A ninja wearing a…"

"No, no," Kakashi interrupted, too quickly to be polite, "It looks… it looks good, on you. I didn't think… I mean, well, it suits you." The eye crinkled, though it seemed more like a knee-jerk smile to forestall a runaway tongue.

"Thanks," Iruka said, for want of a better way to reply to the stumbling commentary. His cheeks burned. "Er. Oh, I should um, introduce you to the costume people… we'll need to refit you into Genma's Mitsuhi costume…"

--

Kakashi looked stunning in the modified kamishimo, with a cream scarf over the lower half of his face, even with a lopsided bandage over the Sharingan eye, his spiky hair combed down. Iruka realized he was rather opening gawping at the other ninja as the 'costume people' (really Kurenai and some of the final year Academy pre-genin girls) fussed over the kataginu and the pleats of the hakama, and was glad that Kakashi seemed more interested in protesting that the obi was too tight.

He managed to recover his composure just as Kurenai gripped a whining Kakashi by one shoulder and propelled him around, slapping away fingers that picked at the obi. "So, Iruka-sensei, what do you think?"

Iruka smiled, and hoped that he wasn't blushing – though his cheeks felt a little warm. He picked his answer carefully. "Kurenai-san, Isae-chan, Yumi-chan… all of you are incredible."

Isae-chan flushed in pleasure, while Yumi-chan giggled. Kurenai, however, looked at Iruka thoughtfully, for a moment, then smiled slightly in response. "Precisely. Well. If we can stop Kakashi here from picking at the damn obi during the performance, Mitsuhi is certainly ready for the full dress rehearsal. It'll just be a matter of learning the lines, but it should be no trouble for the legendary Sharingan Kakashi, eh?"

Kakashi mumbled something about frightening kunoichi under his breath that got him (carefully, so as not to damage the kamishimo) punched in the shoulder.

--

Outside of rehearsed scenes, however, Iruka found himself far too busy to speak to Kakashi – even if Ojiro was really a supporting character, he had to handle dispute resolutions between rowdy pre-genins, help locate missing jounin, oversee catering for rehearsals that dragged on through meals, counsel Kurenai during a minor disaster regarding accidental oil spatter on 'Shogun Asami's' kimono, and various other minor headaches that came from being a central aspect of the play's management. The other chuunin, especially the teachers, did try their best to help, but it seemed that somewhere down the line, annoyingly, Iruka became the final stage of adjudication.

Which was a pity, he had to admit to himself. Kakashi looked so _handsome_, in the formal samurai uniform. He had to rely on years of voice control from teaching unruly pre-genin classes not to show evidence of his heart skipping beats whenever 'Mitsuhi' had to lean close to 'Ojiro' to consult documents; during the choreographed fight; during the interrogation of Sakiko. And that normally lazy drawl, that slid so easily into a purr of menace… made him glad that the kataginu's sleeves hid his arms. Goosebumps. The slight flush he explained away as the costume being too warm.

Foolishness – Kakashi was famous for openly reading Icha Icha. Even if he was actually bisexual… but he had looked stunned, the first time he had seen Iruka in the kamishimo. Still… it could just be shock at seeing a ninja wearing a samurai's formal clothing. And he was jounin. But it couldn't hurt, could it, just to see if he could be interested?

After the fourth rehearsal of the Rumi-hime rescue scene, that went by with only the minor hitch of 'Rumi-hime' getting her kimono caught on a prop dagger and falling over onto an amused 'Sakiko', Iruka sank down in a chair next to Kakashi, and watched the other ninja tense almost imperceptibly. He kept his voice friendly. "Kakashi-sensei, would you like to go for dinner? We won't be due back for another hour."

Kakashi blinked. "In our… we're in costume."

"The play's not secret, despite the Academy's best efforts," Iruka said wryly. "No one would think it odd, and there's a really good udon stall close by. It'll be my treat, for helping us out."

Kakashi hesitated for a moment, and then dipped his head. "Okay."

--

"Who wrote the script, anyway?" Kakashi asked, just as the silence was edging from companionable to uncomfortable. They sat at a small table in the crowded, open-air udon stall, just next to the chaos of the kitchen, enjoying the tempura udon that the place was famous for.

Iruka drank a spoonful of soup, grateful for the conversation cue – he had found that his previous confidence had slowly ebbed away while leading Kakashi to the udon stall, and he had to actually exert effort not to stare at the other ninja while waiting for their food. "Oh. It was a joint collaboration between groups of the graduating Academy class – we picked the best one. This one was written by… Zakibi-kun, Reiji-kun and Sanae-chan, and edited by the chuunin Academy teachers. Then we had the students vote who to allocate to each role."

"Ah." Kakashi nodded absently, as he ate, the scarf folded on his lap. Iruka found his eyes tracking fine cheekbones and an elegant nose, skin pale from lack of exposure to the sun, and looked down at his food quickly. "I'm surprised you weren't voted into a main role, Iruka-sensei."

"Well… we stipulated that all the main roles were to be played by students," Iruka explained, "And that supporting roles by chuunin or jounin." Wryly, "And I have to admit, 'Ojiro' has some of the best lines in the play, sounding off 'Mitsuhi'."

Mitsuhi, the more powerful character, and Ojiro, the poor, mediocre samurai partner, yet in his own way just as (if not more) remarkable than the Mitsuhi character, serving as the invaluable aide. Chuunin, and jounin. Perhaps it was because of the three pre-genin who had written the play, only Reiji-kun had the potential to graduate to jounin, with his friends intent on supporting him through it. A child's play of societal perception with a curious resonance – which was why it had been selected over some other, more complex scripts.

"I see," Kakashi said, then grinned. "The role seems written for you."

"I sometimes suspect it might be," Iruka admitted dryly, "Especially how Sanae-chan giggles each time she sees me in this outfit."

"Well… er… it looks really good. On you," Kakashi said, somewhat awkwardly, then he ducked his head quickly over his food, to hide a flush. "Maa. I've said that before, haven't I."

"So do you," Iruka pointed out, deciding to have some mercy on Kakashi, "It could just be the kamishimo." He smiled, and watched the single eye widen.

Kakashi nodded slowly, apparently not trusting himself to speak. Despite the poor start to the dinner, Iruka congratulated himself on the information gained. Kakashi _was_ interested.

--

The next rehearsal, 'Mitsuhi' was standing a little too closely to 'Ojiro' than was really appropriate, for the speech, during the map-reading scene.

The second day, Iruka found himself taking time off his breaks to watch 'Mitsuhi' rehearsal scenes.

On the third day, Iruka noticed that the female audience congregation for 'Mitsuhi' scenes had also increased by a disturbing amount, and felt jealous, and oddly threatened, and had to have a long, quiet think, at home, next to the 'fridge, the cool, smooth surface allowing him to sort out his thoughts. He didn't have any right, or reason – not yet, anyway.

Four more rehearsal days, and Kakashi was offering to walk Iruka home, at night, because he lived 'close by' (really more like halfway across the village, Iruka found out, the next morning, with discreet inquiries).

The fifth day of semi-full dress rehearsals, Iruka found himself suddenly, dreadfully busy, sorting out last minute disputes over costumes, little spats that had broken out between extremely competitive children vying for stage placements, and concerned parents over the little sleep their sons and daughters were having, excited over the play as they were. On retreating to his dressing room, with no time to go out for dinner, he noticed a discreet package of fragrant oden and a little scrap of paper with a sketch of a scarecrow, left on the dresser.

The sixth and final day before full dress rehearsals, 'Mitsuhi' no longer needed any scripts or prompting for any lines, and the female congregation was beginning to whistle and cheer. Very unsettling.

--

The first full dress rehearsal went without any major problems (other than the usual occasional backstage problems that the chuunin teachers managed to sort out). There were some cues taken too soon, or too late, some children and jounin had an attack of nerves, despite the lack of any actual audience (outside of said female congregations), and there was a near-avoidance of a paint accident with Rumi-hime's kimono. Also, it had taken a lot of convincing to restrain Gai-sensei from making any loud encouraging comments from the audience whenever Kakashi came on stage.

When the curtain fell, Iruka was the first to sink down to his knees in relief, ignoring how it might crinkle his hakama. One of the chuunin teachers, dressed as a servant, laughed, and clapped him on the shoulder, before walking off to find a drink. "Maa. If it would only go like this on the actual day, I would be so happy."

It hadn't been meant to address anyone, but Kakashi was suddenly on his haunches, grinning playfully at Iruka. "Even if it isn't, I'm sure you – and the other teachers – would be able to sort things out."

Like many of the other jounin, involvement in the play had come with a sober realization of how capable the chuunin really were, at least in handling matters that had nothing to do with paper scroll missions. That was a good thing about the play, despite the hassle and the lack of resources due to the rebuilding effort, at least, in the wake of all that business with Orochimaru and the excitement over getting used to the new Hokage.

"I hope so," Iruka muttered, stretching, then finally straightening up and rubbing the small of his back. "Want to go out for celebratory drinks, Kakashi-sensei? I think most of the others are coming, once we get the children home."

This time, Kakashi hesitated so long that for a moment, Iruka felt he wasn't about to agree – then he nodded, slowly.

--

The reason for that presented himself with the barely veiled surprise with which some of the jounin, especially, looked at Kakashi, when all of them headed to the closest bar, and how the Sharingan user seemed somewhat uncomfortable in the company of so many, for a purely social purpose. Iruka felt a little guilty for asking Kakashi along, then felt annoyed at himself for feeling guilty – why in the world should he have to excuse that? Every man had to have some form of social life, to be healthy. And surely the others merely had to get… used, to Kakashi in this context – no doubt with his childhood, fast-tracked through the Academy and the varying ranks of ninja, Kakashi hadn't had the opportunity to develop his social circle or skills, but that was hardly his fault, and… and so, he had no need to feel guilty, for either side. Mulish, Iruka drank his beer in silence.

Still, as the tension seemed to creep in, uninvited, during the second round of drinks, Kakashi abruptly excused himself, pleading weariness. Iruka hesitated, when the jounin had left, listened to the sudden murmuring of gossip, and did so, as well, uncaring of how it may appear. He caught up with Kakashi after a street. "Hey."

Kakashi blinked. "Iruka-sensei. Weren't you…?"

"Oh. No, I'm not that good with alcohol," Iruka said, allowing for half-truths, "And I need to keep a clear head tomorrow. It's only a couple of days until teacher's day, and there are still things to sort out."

"Ah," Kakashi said, noncommittally. "Um. See you tomorrow, then."

"I'll walk you home," Iruka said, giving in to impulse, and grinning when Kakashi arched an eyebrow at him. "I haven't, before."

"Oh. Er. But my house is in a mess, and it smells of dogs, and, er, I think I should walk you home instead, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi protested, very quickly.

"I don't mind," Iruka replied, with a quick smile. "I've visited a lot of children's rooms, by invitation or for extra tutoring, it can't be any worse. And it'll only be fair – you've walked me home before."

"Ah. Eh. All right," Kakashi said, a little reluctantly, in the face of Iruka's surface calm.

--

Kakashi fumbled with the lock to his house, muttering to himself, and when he finally opened the door, stood at the frame, hesitating. Then he peered at his fingers, looked back up at Iruka, very slowly, then murmured, "Tea?"

"Okay."

Kakashi's place did indeed smell of dogs – the reason was immediately apparent, with a large, blue-eyed husky on the single settee, which regarded him solemnly as he walked in – white fur splashed with chocolate brown over the muzzle, eyes and spine. The large tail wagged, once, then the dog lay its head back on its paws, as Iruka approached, carefully. It made a soft sound of contentment, when its ears were scratched, and shifted on the sofa, allowing Iruka to sit down.

Closer up, he noticed the husky's left hind leg was oddly crooked, as if it had been savagely broken at some point. A snuffle at his feet made him look down – a tiny one-eyed Yorkshire, begging to be lifted into his lap. As he obliged, he noticed that of the five or so dogs that could be seen in the living room, regarding him with amiable curiosity, all of them seemed to be disabled in some way – missing paws, broken legs that had set badly, scarred, limping, or, in the case of one quiet spaniel slouched against the single bookcase, simply elderly. The simple furniture in the house was scratched and occasionally chewed, and the plain dark brown rugs seemed to be chosen simply because they were easy to wash and difficult to stain.

The small one-story house had, however, a garden of decent size – from what Iruka had seen of it on the way in – likely expensive property in total, though affordable with a jounin's pay, probably. There were framed pictures on the walls – one of Kakashi's dog summons, one of Team Seven, one of what looked like the genin team Kakashi had once been part of, and a framed scroll of a painted celestial hound. An ANBU mask hung above the bookshelf, and a katana was displayed underneath the framed picture of the summons. The single low square table in the room had a sleeping, whipcord-thin mongrel dog of varying shades of gray on it, the three paws it still possessed up in the air.

Kakashi himself eventually emerged from the kitchen, partitioned off by ricepaper walls, balancing a tray of tea and cookies. A soft word to the dogs quieted their inquisitive barks, and a gentle nudge woke the mongrel from the table – it snorted at him, slipped off, and under. "Tea," he said, somewhat unnecessarily. "Um. I see you've met Rumo and Haruki." Gestures told Iruka that 'Rumo' was likely the husky, and 'Haruki' the tiny terrier in his lap.

Placing the terrier on the settee, Iruka knelt down at the table, following Kakashi's cue, watching tea being poured from the plain, slightly cracked teapot into cheap porcelain cups with a mildly disturbing bright blue floral design. As he sipped, he said, "These aren't… these are normal dogs, aren't they?"

Kakashi nodded. "Quite a few of them either rejected by their owners – injured or old dogs can be a hassle to keep, and it's hard to have a lot of free time with what we do – or their owners have passed away and their relatives don't want to put in the effort." Wryly, "The Inuzuka family tries to help, but their dogs are… special, and don't particularly enjoy the company of 'normal' dogs. Still, Kiba-kun, especially, comes around to walk these when I'm away on missions, or busy."

"Oh." Iruka contemplated this information as a rheumy-eyed Jack Russell attempted to climb into his lap. "Um, then the play – the rehearsals, really are… well, they're sort of full-day things, lately, especially since it's the school's one week Autumn Festival break…" Teacher's Day, this year, was on the eye of the height of the Autumn Festival – and the play one of the village's highlights, at least for the children.

"It'll be over in a few days, neh?" Kakashi's eye crinkled, over his teacup – the mask had been pulled down. The husky moved a little awkwardly from the settee, limping over to Kakashi and resting its muzzle on a shoulder to be petted. "And, like I said, some of the Inuzuka family do come around to help."

Iruka finished his tea in the silence that followed, then said, "So, what are their names?" just as Kakashi murmured, "Iruka-sensei…"

"Ah! Er… you first," Iruka smiled, quickly.

Kakashi stared at him thoughtfully, for a moment, and then he smiled faintly. "No, it's not important."

As he learned the names of each canine, Iruka couldn't help but think that he had just let something important slip away.

--

The day before the play, a stray cat frightened into the theatre did irreparable damage to a rice paper wall prop that was supposed to be the main piece signifying the 'Shogun Hall' setting. Soothing panicky feathers, helping to locate appropriate rice paper, paints, and overseeing the reconstruction of the prop took up most of the day. His nerves in shreds at the end of the day – though the replacement prop, at least, seemed to be shaping up in time for tomorrow – he stumbled, for the first time in a week, over his lines.

At least he wasn't the only one in trouble – but Kurenai said, reassuringly, to all the actors, that the last rehearsal usually was the worst one, and told them all to take an early night.

On the way out, Iruka wasn't sure whether or not to be thankful for Kakashi's company – mentally and physically exhausted, he realized only sublimally that he had walked them to Kakashi's house, instead of his apartment. Inside, he curled up on the settee, next to the husky, and fell asleep instantly.

--

He woke up early next morning as part of his warm blanket shifted and rolled, causing him to fall off the settee and onto his face. Disorientation and panic as his limbs tangled in fabric caused him to yelp and sit up, then he flinched as he realized he was then staring straight into a face of a very large, bemused dog. The husky flicked a pink tongue at Iruka's nose, then padded off slowly towards the kitchen, where the scent of frying bacon caused his stomach to growl.

It seemed during the night Kakashi had somehow managed to remove his flak jacket – it was folded, on the table, with a Scottish terrier sleeping atop it – and had placed a blanket on him. Smiling a little foolishly to himself, warmed at the concern, Iruka folded the blanket into squares and placed it on the least fur-covered part of the settee, ambling towards the kitchen.

Kakashi, clad in faded track pants and a rumbled, open shirt, looked over his shoulder when he entered, and gestured at the small table against the wall of the kitchen with his chin. Dogs of varying sizes and infirmities already clustered under and around it, expectantly – Iruka noticed a few that he hadn't seen before, a little wet from a garden romp. He poured coffee for himself from the pot, and drank, enjoying the sheer domesticity the scene presented, as well as the occasional flashes of a washboard stomach as Kakashi reached for chopped ingredients in a bowl on the counter.

--

The play went off so perfectly that Iruka felt it was surreal, giving his final bows with 'Mitsuhi' to thunderous applause in the packed theatre, blushing and picking out familiar faces in the crowd. He wished Naruto was here – Sakura looked a little strange, sitting without Sasuke or Naruto, in the row behind Tsunade-sama as befit her pupil, but she seemed, at least, for this moment, free of the melancholy that seemed to linger around her features.

At their final bows, in the line behind 'Rumi-hime' and the other students that made up the main cast, he felt Kakashi's hand brush against his own and give his fingers a light squeeze, masked from anybody who might see by the long sleeves of the kataginu, and the silent invitation and question made Iruka's breath catch, in his throat. He knew Kakashi was watching him through the corner of his eye – he smiled, and mouthed 'Tomorrow'. Tonight, there would be a large party in celebration of the solstice eve and the success of the play – Tsunade-sama would be in attendance, even, and skipping out would be difficult.

Kakashi seemed apprehensive at the number of people who lined up to take photographs with him and 'Ojiro', during the party, and the series of suddenly friendly conversations, unused to this sort of social attention, and far out of his depth – Iruka grinned, deciding, under the influence of sake, simply to watch – and procure some photographs afterwards with the promise of film. Properly developed, he had space on his walls for a frame or two.

--

Iruka couldn't keep himself from covertly admiring his companion through the solstice celebrations – Kakashi had somehow acquired a deep green yukata decorated with pale green leaf embroidery that matched the pale blue scarf around the lower half of his face, a silk headband over the Sharingan eye. Iruka himself wore one of his father's old yukatas – dark red, almost black, with sea surf designs on the hems. As they browsed the stalls set up on the main street for the day, he found Kakashi always finding some sort of reason to brush against him.

He tried to tell himself that it had only been a week and a couple of days – it was too fast, too odd, too uncomfortable, but as a hand slipped unobtrusively to the small of his back, in the press of bodies that watched the fireworks at midnight, Iruka knew he was going to ask. Tonight.

As they walked back to his apartment, Iruka thought of at least seven different ways to start going about it, but at the doorway, a little shyly, Kakashi bent down, pulled away the scarf, and pressed a tentative kiss on his lips. When the jounin purred, he knew that he never really had to verbally say anything – he had already asked, and Kakashi had heard. Acceptance was sweet, and tasted of sake and yakitori.

He found himself thankful for the uncomplicated nature of fundoshi and yukatas, as they tangled, limbs and breath, on the narrow bed, clumsy kisses and careful caresses, soft laughter and startling pleasure. Traced scars and muscle, and kissed over the closed, scarred eye, met parted lips with a questing tongue. When Kakashi moved within him, he snapped his head back with an open-mouthed moan of ecstasy and pain. It had been far too long – since he had this sort of bliss and gentleness, this sensation of falling towards inevitable infinity.

--

When he woke, it was to the scent of frying bacon.

-fin-


	2. Tea, Rain and Chawan Mushi

October 22

A dark and stormy night

Tea, rain and chawan mushi 

"If I must die someday," Kakashi said, in a sepulchral voice, "It had better be on a night like this."

"Don't be morbid," Iruka muttered. They sat in an upstairs room of a garishly painted teahouse (orange and purple? Good Gods), waiting out the torrential downpour with _Kabusecha_ green tea and _chawan mushi_. The occasional rumble of thunder, and the heavy thudding of rain on the slate roof vied with the melancholy strains of _gagaku_ music from the hall below them. Their private room, walled off with rice paper walls and doors, had a window on the single solid wall, where a sloping roof kept out the rain. As he ate another spoonful of the warm, delicately flavored egg custard, he added, "You didn't have to follow me."

Kakashi grinned, his mask pulled down to his chin as he sipped his tea. "I'm on a break after that A-class mission I took last week."

"Exactly my point, Kakashi-sensei," Iruka pointed out, with a wave of a bone china spoon. "You should relax, not follow a chuunin out to another village on a C-ranked mission."

"Who says I'm not relaxing?" Kakashi put down his tea and scooted around the low table, pressing up behind Iruka and slipping his arms quickly around the chuunin's waist before he could jerk away. "Hmm? Besides, you wouldn't have been able to enjoy this place's famous side dishes on your own."

"_Mou_…" Iruka hesitated, still uncomfortable with any display of affection outside of their homes, let alone in a relatively public area where waitresses could come in at any moment. "Well, it's not supposed to be… it's just a mission," he finished, a little lamely, as he relaxed reluctantly into the warm grip, feeling the pockets of Kakashi's flak jacket dig into his shoulders.

"Buying _anpan_ for Tsunade-sama," Kakashi chuckled, nuzzling his hair, then using teeth to undo the ribbon, despite Iruka's protesting yelp. He purred, when the hair fell loose, burying his face within it – when he spoke, his voice was muffled. "Sure she didn't pick you on purpose with an ulterior motive?"

"Well…"

"Otherwise, what would you have done on the three day break?" Kakashi shifted as he reached for his own portion of _chawan mushi_, the spoon tinkling in the fine porcelain cup.

"Extra tutoring," Iruka admitted grudgingly, digging up slivers of meltingly tender chicken from under the egg custard. Outside, the roar of the rain heightened steadily. At least the food and tea were exquisite – and also priced high above what he would have been able to afford on his chuunin's pay. As to Kakashi's… "I didn't think even what you earn would be able to cover this sort of indulgence."

"Hm? Oh. I have savings. And it's not like we'll do this often."

Iruka, with a teacher's finely honed senses, noticed the evasion, and decided (in revenge for the embarrassment of having a jounin dog his tail all the way from Konoha for a C-rank mission) to press him about it. "Savings?"

"I used to be in ANBU," Kakashi reminded him. "They're paid really highly, you know, to try and build loyalty."

"Why did you leave?" Iruka asked, before he could stop himself, then ducked his head quickly, staring at the remnants of his egg custard, as he felt the lean body behind him tense. ANBU and Kakashi's past were taboo topics, under the unspoken rules of their relationship. "Sorry." A nuzzle against his neck told him that no offense had been taken.

"Also," Kakashi said, more quietly, after they listened to the rain for a while, "My father – because of his rank and the sort of missions he was entrusted with – he was quite wealthy. He gave much of it away after the… after the incident… but I still inherited the house and some other properties."

"Ah." Iruka exhaled, guilt a cold stone in his stomach, for bringing up something so painful – he could hear ragged breathing, and the arms had tightened until it was almost uncomfortable. He placed the unfinished chawan mushi back on the low table and twisted around in Kakashi's arms, to straddle his lap. Kakashi's visible eye was closed, and his jaw twitched, lips forming shuddering breaths. Iruka gently pried the cup out of gloved hands against the small of his back, and leaned up to press a kiss onto an unresponsive mouth, fingers squeezing wiry shoulders.

It took two more kisses before Kakashi shook his head, pinched his nose, then smiled, the raw pain leaching away, and he slid hands up around Iruka's waist, under the form-fitting black shirt. Iruka grinned in response, though a little hesitantly. "Forgiven?"

"Only if you forgive me for following my lover out on missions in the hopes of seducing him in tea houses," Kakashi countered, winking, his ghosts seemingly banished, at least for now. Iruka relaxed in relief, then yelped as long fingers pinched his rump – glaring at the jounin.

"You're not serious."

"Oh, I am, Iruka-_sensei_," Kakashi's purr somehow made the honorific sound scandalous.

"If it didn't rain, we'll probably be back at the inn," Iruka poked the aquiline nose.

"Inns are good," Kakashi said, agreeably, working with the straps of Iruka's flak jacket – he smirked when his fingers were snatched away. "Saa…"

"The walls are _rice paper_," Iruka hissed.

"The rain is loud."

"Anyone can walk in."

"It's a private room."

"It's scandalous."

"We're not in Konoha."

"We'll make a mess."

"We're not the ones who'll be cleaning up."

Kakashi's eye crinkled. Iruka exhaled, irritably, and attempted to sit up, but arms held him firmly in place, and he could feel the jounin stir, under his rump – he yelped in panic. "Iruka-sensei." _Please._

Iruka flushed, glancing away, to the package in the decorative bag of expensive flower-patterned origami paper, on the table – Tsunade-sama's _anpan_. "We can't." Lips and tongue against his neck, careful not to leave any visible marks, a warm hand cupping the swell of his rump, the other massaging his thigh. "I can't."

"You didn't," Kakashi said, lapping at the hollow his neck, fingers stroking the cleft of his rump through the fabric of his trousers. "You didn't let me kiss you all over, nip you here…" his free hand slipped under the loosening jacket and pinched a nipple through the thin black shirt, making Iruka shiver and gasp, "… kiss all the way down here and press my tongue here…" a thumb, dipping into his navel, "and then do all sorts of things to this…" a squeeze over his growing bulge that dragged out a whimper, "with my mouth, until you came."

"And… and then?" Iruka's voice resembled a squeak, full of horrified fascination at the scandalous, matter-of-fact illustration.

"And then you didn't let me make love to you until the rain stopped." Kakashi said all of that with an absolutely straight face, his eyes darkened with lust, his lips upturned in a sexy quirk that beckoned and challenged. "Because you're the very prim and proper Iruka-sensei of the Konoha Academy, who won't get corrupted by the likes of Sharingan Kakashi."

Iruka laughed, shakily. "You… you read too much _Icha Icha_."

"But?"

Iruka looked over his shoulder, at the downpour, that drowned out even his hammering heart. "It doesn't look like it'll stop anytime soon."

"I know," Kakashi purred.

--

Toshimo Unae cursed the rain as she climbed the staircase as carefully as possible in her kimono, balancing two trays of hot tea and dishes on her arms. Living halfway across the town meant that she could end up drowned by the damnable downpour by the time she reached home. However, Dojiro-san seemed to feel that idling was a sin against the Gods, and so she had been pressed, unwillingly, into doing overtime. And since she was too tired to handle her _biwa_, she had been shanghaied into waitressing. And the only kimono she had on her was the formal sakura one for _gagaku_. And it was damnably annoying to wear while scaling stairs and balancing trays.

_At least the overtime pay was good_, she consoled herself, as she served tea and dishes with a smile that became decidedly fixed by the fifth set of customers in the private rooms. Why, if her normal pay were even near equivalent to it, she would even consider settling down in this backwater town famous only for its tea, _chawan mushi_, tofu and _anpan_.

Another crack of thunder, this one uncomfortably close and loud, made her cringe, then fight to balance the remaining tray on her hand, taking the baby steps that her formal kimono allowed. Breathing out a sigh of relief as equilibrium was established, she continued padding down the corridor. Two more rooms, and she could go back down and maybe rest her poor feet.

She knelt down before a rice paper sliding door, placing the stacked trays on the ground, rapped her knuckles on the wooden ground and said, respectfully, "Sorry to keep you waiting, sirs." She picked up the plate of _mochi_ for room six and pulled back the sliding door.

And promptly flushed crimson, shut the door with a snap, and yelped, "Sorry! Sorry!"

Unae stared at the _mochi_ on the bone china plate in her hands, numb with shock and sheer mortification. Why did she have…? _Oh, right. Room six wanted _mochi.

She then inched the door open again, eyes shut, enough to nudge the plate into the room, then closed it, picked up the tray, and hurried away, wishing the ground would swallow her whole, beet-red with embarrassment.

On the other hand, both of those men had been very attractive, in their own way.

It was really a shame.

She wasn't paid enough for this!

--

Iruka only stopped wriggling and struggling, absolutely mortified, when he realized it was actually having the opposite desired effect on his lover – Kakashi's helpless laughter took on a strained note, and arms tensed to either side of his ribs. "_Mou_, Kakashi-sensei…! I told you someone could come in! Now… get… _off_!"

"I totally forgot that we ordered _mochi_," Kakashi managed to say, before melting back into laughter again, in fits and starts, absolutely shameless. Fuming, Iruka's mind remembered that this man, after all, was well known in Konoha for reading porn in public. "_Maa_, Iruka-sensei, if… uhh… if you keep doing that… I'm going to… aah…"

"_Hen…tai!_"

--

Tsunade peered at the package on her desk, and then up at a visibly squirming Iruka, then back at the package. "What happened to the decorative bag?"

Iruka flushed bright red – the Hokage arched an eyebrow. "Er… er… there was an accident, um you see, it rained, and the bag was, um, ruined. I'm very sorry, Hokage-sama."

Iruka-sensei, Tsunade noted, with amusement, was a terrible liar. "Really."

"Ahahaha! Er… yes, it was a very bad storm," Iruka laughed nervously.

"Which only ruined the paper bag and not the paper package," Tsunade said, dryly.

"R…right."

Tsunade smiled at Iruka for a long moment, and then decided it was unnecessarily cruel of her – whatever had happened to the bag, the chuunin was obviously sorry. "Oh. Well, you can go. Thank you, Iruka-sensei."

"Um. Er. Okay. Er… You're welcome. Hokage-sama." He fled.

Tsunade frowned, as she unwrapped her package of _anpan_. For a moment there, it looked like Iruka had something else he'd wanted to say.

-fin-


	3. End of the world

October 24

It is the eclipse

Yume

1

End of the world

"What did you _say_?"

The medical ninja took a step back, holding up his clipboard before him like a shield – he smiled, nervously. Sharingan Kakashi had turned so abruptly from self-effacing to quietly menacing that the shock value was doubled. "Er… Iruka-sensei has the _Yume_ illness, sir. It's a chakra cancer that disrupts the flow of chakra in the body, and worse, um, side effects include trembling, hallucinations, migraines and, in bad cases, um…"

"I know what _Yume_ is," Kakashi snapped, his single visible eye narrowed. "Does he have the curable version, or not?"

The medical ninja's smile became fixed, as he absently readied an escape jutsu, just in case. "He doesn't. Uh. I'm very s…"

He breathed a sigh of relief, as Kakashi suddenly teleported, then glanced back in the direction of the closed door of the ward they had just emerged from, shaking his head sadly. It really was a pity.

--

Iruka held up one hand to the light in the single window at the small ward in the Konoha general hospital, and watched the palsy cast shivering shadows over the pristine white blankets. _Yume_. He had _Yume_. He could never teach again, at the very best – even the 'curable' version had a high chance of remission. What use was a teacher who could, at any time, go into convulsions, perhaps during dangerous weapons practice?

Well. It wasn't as though he would have no means of supporting himself. Perhaps the Konoha Academy could use a teacher for everything else _but_ classes that needed chakra control, and at the very least, Kakashi was…

Pride, however, didn't allow him to consider that option. The very idea of having to rely on someone for the rest of his life was galling – humiliating – even if the help was freely given, or out of love. He didn't want to consider that.

Iruka put out his hand to the side table, stacked with scrawled get-well cards from children and a vase of slightly wilted daisies (from the girls), his brow furrowing in concentration. He managed to pick up one of the cards from a final year pre-genin, then he hissed out an oath when his control abruptly deserted him, and a tremor knocked the vase off the dresser. Without thinking, he rolled out of bed, catching the vase just before it shattered on the cold tiles, but the daisies spilled, and shaking fingers were unable to pick up any of the fine stalks.

He could never teach again. Why was he trying to lie to himself? He wouldn't be able to pick up chalk, and he could collapse at any time on the way to classes. A burden.

Melodramatically, and somewhat self-pitying, Iruka decided that his world had, more or less, ended.

The nurses found Iruka numbly prodding at slightly wilted white petals, spilled water pooling at his feet, racked with involuntary tremors.

--

Tsunade made an apology to one of the diplomats of Fire country when Kakashi abruptly appeared in her office, his expression stormy. She had been expecting him all morning, however, and so she was unruffled, as the diplomat left them alone.

"There must be a cure," Kakashi said, with no preamble. Well. She'd expected that, as well. "You're one of the Sennin!"

"There's nothing I can do," Tsunade said, mildly, "The type of _Yume_ he has…"

"There must be a cure," Kakashi repeated, with the air of a man clinging on to any hope, however imaginary.

"There is," Tsunade said, heavily. She had considered, all morning, the balance between truth and lies, jounin, and the status of one of the most popular chuunin teachers in the village, and values. "I just said there's nothing I can do."

"There… there is?" Kakashi blinked his single eye, obviously derailed from wherever he had been prepared to take the conversation. "But…"

"There's nothing I can do." Tsunade repeated. "_Yume_ comes from the continuous use of chakra, to the point that the body's ability to channel it becomes corrupted. No doubt Iruka-sensei has been using chakra, nearly continuously, to watch over his student's safety – there's a nearly zero percent injury rate with his classes, even the final year weaponry classes. In normal cases, any decent medical ninja can repair the channels, or at least reroute them."

"The _Yume_ he has, however, requires perfect chakra control, on the part of the medical ninja, and perfect knowledge of how the body works to 'fix' – it isn't a repair or a reroute needed, but a total reconstruction." Tsunade said, flatly. "It needs someone with far more talent than I. Far more control, and knowledge. The smallest mistake would kill him."

"Sakura-chan…"

"Give her five, six years, perhaps. Maybe, maybe she could be able to," Tsunade allowed – Sakura was indeed talented, and knowledge would come in time. "But in five or six years, he would already be dead, I think."

"Then…" Kakashi frowned. "Then, Tsunade-sama, do you know anyone who has this control and knowledge?"

"My sensei," Tsunade said.

"The Third? He's…"

"Not him… my second sensei. After I left Konoha," Tsunade amended.

"Where is he?"

"Mist country," Tsunade said, tilting her head. "Though I'm not sure how much time Iruka has left. Such a sudden, severe bout of palsy doesn't bode well."

Kakashi shuddered, his fists clenching. "I'll take him there."

"Not you. But you're welcome to try and persuade any of the other jounin."

"Why not me?" Kakashi demanded.

"Because the person is Rohnoka Chire," Tsunade paused, when Kakashi looked blank. "White Fang assassinated his brother. And you look just like your father."

Kakashi's eye narrowed.

Tsunade nodded, leaned back, and sighed. She knew it would be useless advising Kakashi, in his current state, to give up the idea – it would be far better to move on to other methods of damage control. It was really a pity that Jiraya had squirreled himself and Naruto elsewhere – Naruto's 'talent', especially, would be best for this sort of undertaking. "Ask the other jounin. Relations with Mist country at the moment are a little strained – it'll be a hard journey, at best."

--

"You've asked?" Tsunade looked up from her paperwork. It was late afternoon, and Kakashi looked visibly exhausted – perhaps not so much physically.

"Yes. Gai volunteered, and Asuma. The rest are already on missions, though Genma said he would be free in a couple of weeks."

"Hmm. I doubt Gai-sensei can be relied on to sneak into Mist country with a sick man, and his nature is such that he might let slip your … relationship, with Iruka-sensei." Tsunade mused. "That leaves Asuma. Get him to lead a team, I think – including Sakura-chan. I'll teach her some methods to ease the migraines."

"I want to go," Kakashi insisted, meeting her sharp gaze. "I'll dye my hair. Change my clothes. Besides, my father didn't wear a mask."

"Sharingan Kakashi does, however, and he's also famous for the scar over his eye and the odd way he wears his forehead protector," Tsunade pointed out, dryly, "And he's also well known as the son of 'White Fang', in Mist country. Stay in Konoha, Kakashi-sensei."

"Is that an order?"

"Take is as you will. But I don't want you getting other ninja killed just because you don't trust them."

--

"Kakashi?" Iruka smiled, when the door opened, and the silver-haired jounin entered. The smile faltered, when he saw Kakashi's expression. "What's wrong?"

Kakashi stared at him, for a moment, wordlessly, then ducked his head, settling into the chair next to the bed and grasping one of his hands, pulling down his mask and nuzzling the fingers. Iruka chuckled, ignoring how fingers trembled even in the warm grip. "That tickles."

"Iruka," Kakashi murmured. "There's a cure."

Iruka's eyes stung with sudden unwanted hope and anger. "There isn't. Kakashi, you shouldn't say things like that. They told me about the type of _Yume_ I have, and…"

"No, there is," Kakashi persisted, and Iruka listened to a stumbling version of a speech that the jounin must have heard from Tsunade, and the team that would be taking him to Mist country.

Finally, he looked down at his fingers. "But we're nearly at war, with Mist."

"Yes."

"I refuse to go," Iruka said, quietly.

"What?" Fingers were suddenly squeezed tight, in shock, Kakashi's single visible eye wide. "But if they bring him here, well, he might not want to come, and…" _And you might die, by then._

"I don't want them to go, either," Iruka said, heavily. "This is too dangerous. And I'm only a…"

"Don't say you're 'only' anything," Kakashi snarled – and it was Iruka's turn to blink in shock. It had been a while, and throughout their relationship, Kakashi had never raised his voice in anger, ever, towards him, or even in his presence. "_Never_."

"I don't want people to die on my account."

"It's not a matter of whether you want it," Kakashi tempered his voice, as he visibly controlled his temper – Iruka noted the strain written all over tense shoulders. "It's something for others to give, and freely."

"I can't accept."

"Asuma will be taking Shino-kun and Kiba-kun… and Sakura-chan," Kakashi said, counting off his fingers. "Apparently, anyway."

"Apparently?" Iruka blinked, a little nonplussed by the matter-of-fact way Kakashi had simply brushed past his objection, flushing in anger. "Kakashi. I said I didn't want anyone to…"

"Sakura-chan said," Kakashi's voice was patient, "That she'll drag you there, if need be." Wryly. "Though I rather thought that she was joking when she swore you wouldn't want to go."

Iruka deflated somewhat. He had watched Sakura at practice, the first time she had been taught how to use her chakra control offensively, and it had been pretty frightening. Somewhere in the kunoichi she had become was the little girl who used to blush whenever Sasuke was around – but he had to squint to see her, now. "I see."

The grip on his fingers relaxed a little. "So you'll cooperate?" The grin was impish.

"To preserve my dignity," Iruka said dryly. "Though you realize I am still going to confront the Hokage to object. And… what about you?"

"I was told not to go," Kakashi glanced away, irritably. "And I wouldn't put it beyond her to enforce it. Apparently my father assassinated the brother of the healer you'll be seeing."

"Oh." Iruka stared at Kakashi for a long moment, at the tension written into shoulders and the angry tic at his jaw – he couldn't help it – he began to laugh; the despair and frustrating ebbing away, at least for the moment.

Kakashi's gaze snapped back at him, and he arched an eyebrow. _What?_

"It's the way you said it," Iruka managed to gasp. "I see why you weren't allowed to go."

Kakashi grinned.

Iruka frowned. "Kakashi… you _aren't_ going, are you?"

"Of course not," Kakashi said innocently. Too innocently. "I wouldn't disobey the Hokage. And it'll be dangerous for you, and the mission, besides."

"Just so you know," Iruka said, wearily. From experience, he knew it would be pointless trying to ferret out whatever Kakashi was planning for the moment – he was tired, he could feel the probing edges of another headache, and the racking tremor-pain had started in his leg. "When am I leaving?"

"Tomorrow."

Iruka sank back against the bed, his smile brittle, afraid of hope, closing his eyes. "Have Sakura-chan pack for me, please."

--

The number of people waiting at the gate to bid the team goodbye was remarkable, consisting mostly of his students and their parents. Gifts were rerouted to his apartment – Asuma said they were to travel light, and fast. Kakashi hugged him tightly, uncaring of the audience, despite his flush, threatened Asuma with all manner of dire consequences if the mission were not to succeed, and stuffed his hands into his trousers, as they left. With his palsy and shattered chakra control, the team would have to take turns carrying him on their backs – they could move faster than a horse and cart, and more silently, at least.

At the moment, it was Kiba who had the dubious honor of doing so – his dog, now past knee-height at the shoulder, kept up easily beside him. Kiba moved silently and efficiently, jolting him no more than was necessary – Iruka supposed that likely came from years of practice with Akamaru down his jacket.

As the silence stretched, an hour away from Konoha, Asuma slowed their speed to pace them, with a gesture, and Sakura drew level with them. "All right so far, Iruka-sensei?"

"Yes, thank you, Sakura-chan," Iruka said, politely. There was pain, but it was manageable, after whatever Tsunade had done to his chakra points just before they left – though it would be temporary at best, she had warned.

"Remember, once it gets too much, you're to tell me," Sakura grinned. "And Kiba… Kiba-kun, try not to jolt him too much."

"I know," Kiba said, amiably. Iruka, however, frowned slightly – the sudden stutter was quite odd, for the normally level-spoken Sakura. Come to think of it, there had been something about Kiba that had been niggling at him ever since he had been picked up.

As Sakura chatted with Kiba over Akamaru (it seemed to be a female thing, Iruka noted, absently), Iruka replayed every detail, with a teacher's efficiency, of what it could be of Kiba that struck such a… ah. It was the scent. Shampoo that smelled of Kaka…shi…

"Kiba-kun," Iruka cut into their conversation, "Remember the time you were first told that you were going to receive a puppy?" Playfully, "You were so cute then, talking to me for hours about what you were going to name him, what color he would be…"

"Yes," Kiba said, in a tone of embarrassment that suggested strongly that he didn't really want to discuss something so childish in front of a _girl_. "You were very patient, Iruka-sensei."

Iruka smiled, in triumph, just as he fought to control his temper. "Kakashi."

"Sorry?" 'Kiba' asked.

"Kiba never spoke to me about receiving Akamaru," Iruka replied, slowly and evenly. "And besides, you smell of Kakashi."

Kakashi was silent, though Iruka could see his lip quirk, in wry amusement.

"You are in _so _much trouble! What did you do to Kiba-kun?"

'Kiba' didn't miss a step, following closely behind the silent Shino, just as Sakura began to laugh. "Iruka-sensei! You're amazing."

"I didn't do anything to him," he said, finally, very mildly.

"So you left a clone, to say good-bye, and then took Kiba's form and borrowed Akamaru…"

"That's a transformed version of Eishin, actually." Kakashi amended, referring to one of his summons, adding, defensively, "It's perfectly logical. My Sharingan would be able to imitate many of the basic Inuzuka jutsu – though they're not that big a clan, so they shouldn't be that well known. And that way my summons should pass notice, and Kiba was more than willing to help."

"Not in the least because you frightened him into agreeing," Asuma commented dryly, somewhere from the lead.

"Thank you very much, Asuma," Kakashi snapped, just as Iruka yelped, "_Frightened_ him?"

"Don't worry about it, Iruka-sensei," Sakura said earnestly, firmly on Kakashi's side, "That was only very briefly, and Kiba agreed eventually that it's a better idea for Kakashi to come in disguise."

"So you're going to have to fight without chidori or Sharingan…" Iruka's breath hissed out in irritation. "Asuma-san, we have to turn back."

"Sorry, Iruka-sensei," Asuma replied, amiably, "I agree with Kakashi on this one. He has a right. And all missions we do have a chance of death, so your arguments to the contrary aren't very effective."

"But…"

"We're not children anymore, Iruka-sensei," Sakura smiled. "We understand consequences." Ahead of her, Shino grunted in agreement.

"We'll stop in a few hours for lunch," Asuma said, before Iruka could work his mind around to find a reasonable retort to that. "And then you might have a hard time persuading Kakashi to let any of us carry you for a change." He smirked over his shoulder at 'Kiba' as he leaped onto a branch – Kakashi rolled his eyes.

Iruka relaxed bonelessly against the warm back with a sigh. Sakura winked at them both, then increased her speed to draw level with Shino to chat one-sidedly.

--

At lunch, 'Kiba' murmured, "Still angry?"

They sat a little apart from the group – Sakura was talking animatedly to Asuma about Shikamaru, and Shino was cross-legged and silent as he ate the cold packed lunch.

Iruka shook his head, slowly. "No. Not really. Resigned." He looked down at his shaking palms, glad that the tremor wasn't bad enough, at the moment, that he'll have to be fed. More quietly, "Actually. A part of me… well. I'm glad you've come. As troublesome as it would be," he added the last quickly, as 'Kiba' grinned. To distract him before Kakashi decided to engage in any public displays of affection (he knew that look), he added, "How are you covering your Sharingan?"

"Opaque contacts," Kakashi said, pointing at his left eye. "It's a little uncomfortable, and it'll be somewhat inconvenient to remove on the go, but I suppose the tilted hitai-ate would be too conspicuous."

"You actually planned."

"What's that supposed to mean?" 'Kiba' asked, in a tone of mock reproach.

--

Asuma was right. After lunch, Kakashi was loath to give up his turn. Iruka watched him squabble with an increasingly exasperated Sakura, and leaned back against a tree, felt the rough bark push into his shoulders, and closed his eyes, studying the red splotches from the sun. For the end of his world, there was there was a surprising amount of light.

-fin-


	4. Keepsakes

October 27

Vade mecum

Yume

2

Keepsakes 

"Kiba-kun doesn't read _Icha Icha_," was the first thing Iruka said, somewhat predictably, when Kakashi pulled out an orange volume from under a replica of Kiba's cotton jacket.

He grinned, seated cross-legged on the other narrow bed in their rented room of the tiny town's only inn. "Well, I do."

"I know that," Iruka turned his head to regard him with a teacherish stare – that never failed to make him smile (and want to do several _Icha Icha_-type activities to his lover – though this point was likely irrelevant to the conversation at this moment – not to mention not particularly conceivable, in Iruka's current state. Probably. Maybe. But Iruka would likely object.). "Kiba-kun doesn't. And you're supposed to be Kiba at the moment, remember?"

"It's still several days, even on our best speed, to the Kanshin port," Kakashi said defensively. "Right now, we're still in Leaf country."

"Honestly, Kakashi," Iruka said, wearily, "You're already in enough…" A tightening of the jaw, that spoke of a painful jolt – either from the tremors, or a headache, Kakashi knew Iruka would never admit, "… in enough trouble."

"But I take it everywhere," Kakashi said, mildly, opening the book to the last page he had left it on. On the bed, Eishin-as-Akamaru rolled over with a grunt, paws splayed into the air, its tail wagging slightly. It seemed even summons could sleep and have dreams – though Kakashi had never asked for details. "I'll feel odd if I didn't."

"I could recommend you some _normal_ reading material," Iruka muttered. This was a familiar argument, but familiarity distracted him from the unfamiliarity of muscles that would no longer quite obey him – or so Kakashi thought. Either that, or the increasing grip on the few rituals that characterized their relationship was a subconscious attempt to reassure himself that the illness had changed nothing. Either way, it wasn't particularly healthy, not mentally.

He played along, however, while considering what to do next. "I'm happy with this reading material, Iruka-_sensei_." A puppyish grin, that he would never be able to show anyone else in his life without ruining Sharingan Kakashi's carefully built reputation.

Normally, at this point, Iruka would laugh. So it was deeply disconcerting when all he got was a wry smile, and closed eyes. Kakashi bent over his book for a moment, tracing well-read lines without actually reading them, before tucking it back into his jacket. "It's not the only thing I carry around," he offered, deviating from ritual, himself.

Iruka's eyes opened – the arched eyebrow questioning. It had already been longer than Kakashi could comfortably count, or so it seemed, since the Midsummer festival, longer than he had felt was necessary to commit to numbers (after all, he had long-since decided to spend the rest of his life, with this person, with no heed to anyone else's say-so), and Iruka knew Kakashi was an intensely private person, who put out just enough curiosities about his habits (the _Icha Icha_, the tilted hitai-ate, the dogs) just so he wouldn't be questioned about anything else. It had been difficult for Iruka to pry any sort of personal detail from Kakashi – evasion had already become ingrained second nature.

For Kakashi to offer up any detail of himself was startling. Iruka's lips twitched upwards, briefly, as the chuunin tried not to look too obviously curious. Kakashi grinned, got up, walked over, and seated himself next to Iruka on the bed. "I want some consideration, though."

"What consideration?" Iruka asked, frowning slightly. This was another ritual, that usually led to play of the decidedly _Icha Icha_ sort. "Kakashi… I can't…"

Kakashi lowered his head and brushed a gentle, chaste kiss over parted lips, flicking his tongue over teeth, then nipping at the tip of Iruka's nose, on the way back. There was a gasp, then a soft, breathy sound that would usually immediately trigger Kakashi initiating said play of said _Icha Icha_ sort – his body at least expected it, tensing like a coiled spring – then a trembling hand rubbed over his flank, and Iruka sighed. "Don't."

He looked up. Closed eyes, and thinned lips. Kakashi shifted back so he could rest his chin on Iruka's chest.

"The other day," Iruka said, conversationally, as his fingers curled in the bedsheets, "Remember, when we passed that waterfall?"

Kakashi bobbed his head in a nod, not moving.

"That was my parent's favorite picnic spot," Iruka continued, his voice too neutral, "And when we passed it, do you remember what I…"

Kakashi nodded again. Iruka had stiffened, cried out, then when Kakashi stopped to see what was wrong, abruptly gone into convulsions. Sakura had almost panicked – after Iruka was unconscious from judicious application of fingers to pressure points, she had babbled something about convulsions being part of the final stage of the illness, that even for Iruka's current state, he should only be having migraines, the tremors, pain and hallucinations. Kakashi remembered being silent throughout it all, his mind refusing to absorb the words. Eishin – not even a dog usually given to sentiment – had whined, and rubbed its cheek against his master's knee.

And Asuma had looked at him – just _looked_, and Kakashi had understood, suddenly, why there had been no parties sent out after them – his clone and disappearance should have been noticed, by now. Because Asuma used to be a Leaf hunter-nin, long before he fell in love with a kunoichi, retired, and took up being yet another ordinary jounin-sensei who'd treat his team to steak, and Tsunade didn't feel that Iruka would survive the trip, let alone survive the wait while they somehow managed to get treatment. And if Kakashi 'lost' himself… well. The Sharingan was one of the Leaf's most important secrets; and also, if he took the violent path, Leaf could not at the moment, recovering from Orochimaru, afford a war with Mist.

He had nodded – and Asuma had stared at him, for just a heartbeat longer, before looking over at the waterfall. That was fine by him. If it had to be anyone in this world for that particular purpose, he didn't mind it being Asuma. With that settled, all unspoken, both jounin turned to the somewhat less complicated task of comforting a distraught kunoichi – Shino, at least, seemed blessedly non-hysterical, though his fingers curled a little more tightly than usual in his elbows.

"What I saw," Iruka said, very quietly, "Was my parents. They were splashing in the shallows, like they used to. I was about to tell you to stop, and then I saw myself – well, a child version of myself, with them. And, well, I guess I couldn't actually handle that," Self-deprecatorily, "I mean, I didn't…" Wry, helpless laughter. "Kakashi. I think it's not only my physical body that's becoming unstable."

Kakashi sighed, rolled up to his knees, then wormed under the plain blanket, spooning up behind Iruka and pressing his lips against his neck, shifting only when Iruka indicated that his weight was pulling a little painfully on loose brown hair. When more comfortably settled, he reached into a pocket of his trousers, and pulled out a tiny key chain with a porcelain pendant of a scarecrow, and dangled it before Iruka's nose. "Here's another that I carry everywhere."

Iruka stared at it, for so long that for a moment, Kakashi was afraid that he had possibly gone catatonic. "Iruka?"

"That… that looks familiar," Iruka frowned, slightly.

"The winter festival on the first year I became team seven's sensei," Kakashi tapped Iruka on the nose, with the pendant. "You took them to the festival and bought these from a stall, apparently because Sakura really wanted one… and as an afterthought…"

"Sasuke picked this one, actually," Iruka said, a little uncertainly. "Um. He said it fit your name. And well, you looked so bored when I gave it to you that well… well I almost wanted to apologize for being embarrassing, but then Naruto found that corokke stall and…"

Kakashi nipped his shoulder, and put it back into his pockets. "Actually I left it on a shelf and forgot about it, up until… that teacher's day play. It was a little dusty by then. But since it was the first thing you ever gave me…"

"Ah." An embarrassed cough – Iruka was blushing. "Um, I don't, myself…"

"I just take it on missions," Kakashi continued, as if he hadn't heard. "To remind myself what I have to come back for. Missing-nin – a lot of them – start off that way. They forget."

Iruka tensed, then shook his head, and brought a hand up over his eyes, watching it shake, then dropping it back on the sheets. "Kakashi. If I were to…"

"Won't happen," Kakashi said, firmly, nuzzling the ear. "You'll be cured."

"But what if… would you go missing, too?"

Kakashi smiled, very faintly.

"Kakashi."

Kakashi reached over, and poked his nose. "After it's over, I expect you to find something more appropriate for me to carry around as a keepsake."

"You're avoiding."

Kakashi sobered. "Do you really want to know, Iruka?"

"No." Iruka relaxed, with a sigh. "I suppose not." Dryly, "So, what do you want?"

"Eh?"

"Another keepsake. A soft toy? A lock of my hair? A…"

"A set of your underwear?" Kakashi suggested, very helpfully, then laughed, when Iruka turned bright red. "Maa. I'm _joking_," he protested, when Iruka began to struggle in his grasp, growling.

"I wouldn't put it beyond you," Iruka said, in a mutinous voice that implied that if he was ever cured and they returned to Konoha, he was going to carefully count all the underwear he had in his drawer.

"A photograph, I think," Kakashi said, soberly.

"Ah? Oh. Okay."

"Especially if you wear a yukata… ehh…" Kakashi held on tightly as Iruka began to struggle again.

"No photographs!" Iruka pulled ineffectively with his lowered motor control on the locked arm.

"Why not?"

"I know your… your… with yukatas, and me…"

"Fetish?" Kakashi supplied.

"Exactly! So if you want a photograph of me in a yukata then the photograph can only be for… for…"

"Masturbation?"

"Don't say those sorts of things so easily!"

--

Sakura hummed happily to herself as he returned to her rented room – for propriety's sake, Asuma-sensei had said, she would have to have her own – Kakashi-sensei obviously wanted to share with Iruka-sensei, which left Asuma and Shino. Which was fine by her – she wasn't so sure she wanted to share a room with Shino-kun (despite his control over the bugs, they were, well, _bugs_), and as to Asuma, she didn't want to be killed by Kurenai-san, so…

While the boys were out buying food, she had found a dusty book of herbs in the town's only bookstore (still, a rare find!) not to mention the pharmacy was actually decently stocked, and the obaa-san in charge had been nice enough to show her the private garden, and allow her to pick (and pay, of course) on recognizing that she was a medical ninja. In exchange, she'd done something about the fluid in her joints, since she hadn't had enough money. Herbs, a book, and a job well done, all at once – Iruka-sensei would be proud.

"_Kakashi_!" Sakura froze, in the act of placing her paper bags of purchases and herbs down on the dresser. "I don't think I'm supposed to… oh _Gods_, Sakura-chan is going to _kill_ you…"

That was next door. A little muffled, with the wall between them, but still horribly distinct.

"Maa, Iruka," That was definitely a moan, from Kakashi, "It's been _days_."

"I'm _ill_, you're a pervert… and I'm _ill_… and will you stop that… besides, I don't think it's _safe_ for you to drop the disguise…"

"But when I carry you during the day I…"

"That's _it_! Tomorrow I'm going to _insist_ that Asuma-san carry me instead!"

"Are you trying to make me jealous?" A purr. "That's sweet."

"Kakashi… I have _Yume_." Exasperation.

"It's not sexually transmitted."

"That wasn't my point!"

"I don't think exertion worsens it, either. After all, didn't Sakura-chan say you had to keep active?"

"I don't think she meant _this_!"

"It'll keep you from brooding."

"I wasn't brooding!" Further protest melted into a surprised yelp, then a groan. Suspiciously wet sounds.

Flushed crimson with embarrassment, Sakura debated between crawling under the bed and pretending the rest of the world didn't exist or retreating out of the inn where she would be very likely to run into Asuma-san… whom she now couldn't face in this state. Not to mention he would probably guess as to _why_, then she would never be able to face anyone again, least of all Naruto.

--

Asuma was arranging the various plastic containers of their dinner – of takeout from various stalls and snacks bought from the grocery-convenience-bakery store of the town – on the table while Shino lay out borrowed plates and cutlery from the innkeeper, in the corner of the taproom. Some early drinkers were already seated at the small bar, silent, ignoring them.

Sakura was the first one down, her cheeks oddly pink – she sat down without talking, and couldn't seem to meet his eyes.

Curious. Embarrassment? Asuma, with the experience of dealing with Ino, asked, offhandedly, "How was your day, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura flinched slightly, then smiled thinly. "It was… it was good. Yes. Good. I um, got some medicinal herbs, found an interesting book, and, um, helped an old lady with her arthritis."

"And you came back here after?"

Another flinch, and the flush deepened. "Um. Yes. I was tired. Hahaha! Please let me help you with that, Asuma-sensei!" The plastic container of soup he had been wrestling with was all but snatched out of his hands and attacked with a little more force than was really necessary.

Asuma couldn't help but be a little evil. He hadn't had a cigarette since the morning, what with the need to conduct some private business with an old friend in the town, and he was feeling somewhat twitchy. "Did you check in on 'Kiba' and Iruka?"

The blush now reminded Asuma of a tomato. He smirked, satisfied, and sat down at the head of the table. Shino's glance moved from Asuma to Sakura to the resisting soup, then he took it wordlessly from her and deftly popped the cover open.

Kakashi – again looking like Kiba – was next down, supporting Iruka heavily over his shoulder – Iruka looked exhausted, and sported a flush nearly as bright as Sakura's. He sat down and began to eat, with no comment or greeting, giving off an aura with a surprising amount of unfocused killing intent, for a chuunin schoolteacher. Kakashi, on the other hand, seemed happily oblivious.

Asuma grinned. "Itadakimas!" It was going to be an interesting trip after all.

-fin-


	5. Complications

October 30

What goes bump in the night

A/N: only cursorily edited, because I'm in a hurry… work

Complications

When Iruka woke up to an empty bed to a loud sound from next door, he knew the first instinct shouldn't have been panic. After all, there were perfectly sound reasons why Kakashi wouldn't be there, even if it was the middle of the night in a small inn on the outskirts of Kanshin port – there was the washroom, there was the occasional restlessness that all ninja were subject to that made them want to go out for air, run without direction over the rooftops. The thing was – despite the fact that he knew logically that there were sound reasons, Kakashi had never disappeared during the night at all up till now, if he had been in bed at the start. The few times that Iruka had woken from familiar nightmares, the other jounin had always been sprawled, snoring and heavy, half over him, lanky arms and legs curled over his body.

There was always a first time, so panic was not logical. Right.

Iruka forced his body up, carefully, onto his elbows, checking the room – the flak jackets were still there, folded on the chair, along with Kiba's clothes – other than breeches, and the inner shirt. Eishin was still there – a snoring, furry lump, heavy over Iruka's toes. Noting suggested anything suspicious, really.

And then there was another loud thump, from next door – Iruka flinched, and gasped softly, as that involuntary movement shattered his tenuous control – the racking tremors crept down from his shoulders, and the beginnings of a migraine began to thread agony behind his eyes.

Then there was laughter. Grimly, Iruka forced his mind out of the pain-sleep-panic loop to concentrate, and picked out three voices. Sakura's. Asuma's. Kakashi's. And then a low voice speaking something he couldn't make out – Shino's.

What were they doing? Iruka dragged himself closer to the wall, feeling somewhat self-conscious – spying on people wasn't really something he liked to do, and for all he knew, it could be private. But Kakashi – Kakashi had gone in the night. And whatever was happening, he couldn't help feeling left out.

Of course, the invalid was supposed to sleep, but…

"You're cheating, Shino-kun," that was Sakura, sounding wounded. "I had a full house!"

"Four of a kind," Asuma chuckled. "You should have seen that coming, Sakura-chan, with how Shino-kun was willing to follow your raises all the way."

"_Mou_…" Sakura moaned. "My money…"

"Shino-kun's had the devil's luck all night," Kakashi said wryly. "Deal?"

"Sure. Sakura-chan, want to buy in again?"

"I'm going to check in on Iruka-sensei," Sakura said – the pout was in her voice, "I've lost enough money."

"Eeh… you're nothing like Tsunade-sama," Asuma groused.

"I don't see what's the attraction in losing money," Sakura retorted.

"The attraction is in the hope of winning some," Kakashi corrected. "Sakura-chan, I'll check on Iruka. You can play my hand."

"Ha… really?"

"Don't lose too much."

"Don't worry about it, Sakura-chan, Kakashi's rolling in it."

"_Really_?"

"Asuma…" Kakashi groaned.

"Haha… go check on Iruka, Kakashi. Don't worry, we won't fleece Sakura-chan of your money too much."

"_Maa_, Asuma-san, that's _mean_!"

Iruka quickly curled up on the bed, deepening his breathing, but he knew it likely wouldn't be sufficient to fool Kakashi – especially since he couldn't quite control the low gasps of pain (hurt-loss-resentment). Doors closing/opening, padding feet, and a warm hand over his cheek, a depression on the bed. "Iruka?"

The best response, Iruka knew, would be to murmur sleepily and roll over, as though he'd only recently woken up, and then try to go back to sleep again. Unfortunately, especially before Kakashi, subterfuge had never been his strong point, and the resentment was fuelled by physical pain and a hint of self-pity. Not feeling normal. "Go back to your game."

That wasn't fair to Kakashi, Iruka knew. He didn't possess the jounin – and besides, at least when he was well (seemed so long ago) he actively pushed Kakashi in the direction of the few friends he actually had, worried about his social health, glad to simply tag along, or not at all, when Kakashi did actually go out for drinks, or food, whatever it was, with the few other people in his life who were precious to him. Did debilitating illness make you more of yourself, or less of yourself, really? Perhaps he really always resented it whenever Kakashi gave his time to anyone else, deep down, but stifled it subconsciously with a nod to social convention. Or perhaps it was really the (galling) need for comfort now that made him possessive.

There was a soft intake of breath, then fingers wreathed through his left hand, and there was a weight against his shoulder, a cheek against his own. Hair tickled his forehead. "Did we wake you?"

The contrition in the voice struck a chord – Iruka now felt guilt, on top of everything else – it fed his ever-present temper. The urge to lash out verbally, however, was (with some difficulty) quelled, and he forced himself to relax, bit by bit. "No. I… uh, I needed a drink."

Kakashi seemed to consider this for a moment, then he got up. There was the sound of water being poured from jug to glass from the single desk in the room, then the cup was placed on the dresser. "Need help?"

"Uh." Actually, he wasn't thirsty, but some lies had to be carried through. He nodded, allowing Kakashi to pull him up into his lap, half-sitting, cradled in his arms – a cup was pressed into shaking hands, minimally guided by a gloved one. He drank, then nodded his thanks, squirming to indicate that he wanted to go back to sleep. Kakashi, however, didn't relinquish his hold, nuzzling his hair, stroking his arm. Eventually, he murmured, "Kakashi?"

"You're…"

_You're upset._ Iruka flinched. "Sorry. It's wrong of me."

"Wrong?" Kakashi sounded confused.

Grimacing, Iruka trudged on – he'd always known Kakashi had a tenuous grip on social niceties, but sometimes he felt he was only scraping the tip of the iceberg, as it were. "Yes, I'm sorry, and uh… I'll like to go back to sleep now," he added, awkwardly. Next door, there was a shrill yelp of outrage and a bark of male laughter, as Sakura likely lost some more money.

"But…"

_But I don't see what's wrong._ Iruka felt he would lose his temper, if he heard that, right now, and he cut Kakashi off, brusquely, "Well, _I_ feel it's wrong of me."

Of all responses, he didn't expect a soft chuckle and a nose buried in his hair.

"Iruka," Kakashi said, very patiently, "What are you talking about?"

Iruka blinked, very rapidly, went over the last few minutes of conversation, and blushed. "Oh. Um. What did you want to say?"

"I was going to say," Kakashi said, in the same mild tone, "That you're warm, and that I'll like to hold you a little longer, if you didn't mind."

"Oh." Iruka was dimly sure that his cheeks were incandescent, by now. "I… uh, I see. Um. Okay."

Kakashi shifted him slightly in his arms, so he could see Iruka's face, and poked his nose. "So, what were you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter," Iruka mumbled, twisting to bury his nose in Kakashi's shirt. "I think you should go back to the game before Sakura loses all your money." There was another outraged squeal, from next door, and the sound of someone being soundly smacked in the shoulder – accompanied by a surprised grunt (of the victim, and it sounded like Shino).

"Let her," Kakashi said, amiably, settling back against the headboard. "I didn't really want to play, anyway, but Asuma said he'll wake you up if I didn't, since they were short a player."

"Oh." Iruka frowned. That didn't sound very much like Asuma. "But it's in the middle of the night."

Kakashi shrugged a shoulder, as if to say – _all jounin have their peculiarities_ – but Iruka noted, as the pain subsided to a dull ache, that the other ninja seemed a little more tense than usual, and his eyes kept flickering to the window. Dryly, he asked, "Are we expecting someone?"

"Mm…"

"Kakashi."

"Maa, Iruka-_sensei_," Kakashi purred, "When you say my name like that…"

"I may not be in full control of myself now," Iruka said evenly, "But I would bet that I can still hurt you." When Kakashi took in a breath, to respond to that, he added, quickly, "And if you say _anything_ at all about… about… anything that is remotely perverse, regarding hurting you, I _swear_…"

"Asuma has informants here in Kanshin," Kakashi said, with another shrug. "They told him to expect trouble – someone he annoyed a long time ago is also in port, and Asuma's recognizable here."

"Oh… but that needed all of you to keep watch?" When Kakashi didn't answer immediately, Iruka, with some effort, managed to poke an arm. "Really, Kakashi… if all of you were expecting trouble tonight, I would have appreciated being told."

He could sense Kakashi cycling through the safest possible responses – _Didn't want to worry you/But there's no need/We can handle this/He might not have come anyway_ – and settling on a diplomatic, "Ah." Then, "Um."

The awkward silence (reproach, from Iruka's end; shamefacedness, from Kakashi's) was thankfully broken by new voices, from next door, then Iruka winced as he heard Sakura say, very clearly, "I'm in a bad mood now, so all of you came at a _great _time."

When the loud crashes and the screams had stopped, Iruka said, as calmly as he could, "She's grown."

Kakashi nodded against his hair, staring at the intervening wall as if afraid it would collapse on them at any moment.

"So," Iruka murmured conversationally, trying not to listen to the whimpers from Asuma's would-be assassin(s), "Exactly why did you not talk to me about this?"

He had been expecting any of those responses, or perhaps a bald _What use can you be_ (unlikely, but it hurt, even to think of that) – not the wry laugh. "I didn't… maa, this is going to sound strange… I didn't want you to see me kill."

Iruka blinked rapidly. "But I know that you've… before…"

"Knowing and actually seeing it are different things," Kakashi said, sounding embarrassed. "I said it would sound strange."

"You're worried I'll somehow see you differently?" Iruka said, incredulous. "Kakashi, we're both ninja. Killing is…"

"Have you killed anyone before, Iruka?"

"Um." Iruka blushed, when faced with that question. With his temperament and ability, he had always been more suited for teaching, only taking a few C-rank missions now and then. "That is…"

"Could you?"

Stung, Iruka snapped, "_Well_…"

"Think."

Irritably, Iruka subsided. Could he? Of course he could – he had been trained his whole life to fight; to teach others how to fight, and kill. He could kill, he was sure. Probably. If necessary. Very necessary. Er.

Kakashi nodded, absently.

"Even if that was so, I don't see how you're worried about…"

"I don't want you to see me kill," Kakashi said, with careful patience, "Because I don't want you to see how easy it's become, for me."

"Oh." Iruka wanted to say _it won't matter_, but he wasn't sure, and to Kakashi, he could never lie.

--

It was actually rather amusing how, the next morning, the innkeeper and most of the other patrons pointedly pretended the structural damage to part of one wall and much of the courtyard had always been there and would always be. Iruka was subdued at breakfast – he could tell Asuma and Sakura were both expecting him to comment on last night's noise, and the devastation – but he ate his porridge in silence.

When he was nearly done, he could see Sakura turn an accusing look at 'Kiba' (wolfing down eggs and toast), which the jounin ignored – then she smiled at Iruka. "Iruka-sensei, why don't you accompany me for a walk after breakfast?"

He blinked. "Um…"

"Kanshin port is really nice, and you were too tired yesterday," she chirped. When 'Kiba' paused in his eating, she added, "I got the innkeeper to find me a wheelchair yesterday."

Iruka relaxed. Being carried on the back, while it made moving faster, was also humiliating, when going about town. A wheelchair, however… a wheelchair was fine. And he did suddenly need some time away from Kakashi, to think. "Sure, Sakura-chan."

"Sakura-chan…" Asuma began, with a quick glance at 'Kiba', who was pretending a little too hard not to seem too interested, "Kanshin port isn't really…"

"Oh, I'll be fine, Asuma-san," Sakura said, with a smile that was a little too bright. Outside, an unsuspecting new customer fell into one of the large craters with a yelp.

"Ah. Right. Well, then, in that case… uh, have fun. But…"

"But you and Kiba-kun would probably be _too busy working out plans_ to follow us," Sakura said, the stress on the words almost imperceptible. "Shino-kun, however…"

Shino looked slowly from Sakura to Asuma, then shrugged. "I'll help Asuma-san and Kiba-kun."

"It's all settled then," Sakura smiled, firmly, and for a brief moment, Iruka felt it was really a pity that Naruto had to be born into this particular generation – there were far too many in Konoha of that generation who had the potential to become Hokage. The girl who used to blush whenever Sasuke was around was almost nearly gone, now, in this young woman.

--

When they were in the market, Sakura began to talk animatedly, trying out scarves and accessories, parading before Iruka for approval on colors, patterns, prices – until the uncomfortable remnants of last night's embarrassments leached away. A warm day, and pleasant – so soon after his morning treatment, the tremors were none too severe, and Iruka was able to sample some roadside yakitori without aid. The simple act of being able to eat, by himself, as always, was calming.

After Sakura bought some beautifully enameled silver bangles (for Ino, it seemed), he murmured, "Thank you, Sakura-chan."

"It's no problem, Iruka-sensei," Sakura said, with a wry smile, "You looked a little strangled, back then."

Iruka smiled, thankful that she didn't press him further. It took four more stalls of browsing before he felt like talking about it – if obliquely. "How much money did you lose?"

"Well… later Shino-kun said he felt sorry taking money from someone new to poker, so he gave it back," Sakura said, as she held a green jacket up against herself. "That was immediately after the… um, interruption. Very sweet of him. Iruka-sensei, how does this look?"

"A little too much like the flak jacket's colors," Iruka said, then smiled, as Sakura pouted.

"_Mou_… that's true. Oh! This is nice." Sakura put the jacket back, then took a white collared shirt with a brown paint spatter design on the bottom left.

"It's not a…"

"I didn't mean for me," Sakura held the shirt up against Iruka. "Neh? With jeans, this would look great."

"Uh…"

"We need to buy normal clothes, anyway," Sakura continued, as if she hadn't heard, placing the shirt on Iruka's lap as she peered through the rest of the stall's merchandise. "It'll be better that way, in Mist, and I wouldn't trust the others to pick out things that look decent."

"Um…" Iruka tried again, then gave up wryly – Sakura looked like she was having too much fun. "Anything you like, Sakura-chan."

"Just wear _that_… and I'm sure I can find some nice jeans around here… and I'm sure Kiba-kun would agree with us," Sakura said, with a sidelong grin.

Iruka's lip quirked down, for a moment. "Ah. Well, about that…"

"I don't know what happened, Iruka-sensei," Sakura said, more softly, as she picked through a rack of jeans, "But sometimes, things really aren't important as you think they really are. When Naruto went off after Sasuke… I thought the most important thing in the world would be for him to bring Sasuke back. But really… if either of them was okay – alive – that would really have been it." When she turned around, the bright smile was back. "What about these?" She held out a pair.

"They're… er… torn, at the knees." Iruka said cautiously, still trying to find a way to respond to the previous statements. "Sakura-chan…"

"They're supposed to be torn. Trust me." The jeans were dumped on his lap, as well. "As to the other, Iruka-sensei… I don't want to have to lose anyone dear to me again, or see them hurt. So, seeing you two fight… it's none of my business, really, but…"

"Ah." Iruka looked down at the clothes. He had indeed been inconsiderate. The mission was difficult enough without him having to make it even more complicated by being less mature than he should be – those other problems he had with his situation, or with his relationship, should all be sorted afterwards – at the very least, harmony was necessary, within the group – especially on the verge of Mist territory. "I'm sorry."

"For?" Sakura asked, with a faint smile. "But I'll count you having made it up to me, if you'll dress up a certain way when we go back to meet them for lunch."

"Um…" Iruka felt a sudden surge of unease. "Sakura-chan…"

"You might not know this," Sakura said, mischievously, "but Ino and I – and some of the other kunoichi whom you taught – always wanted to see what you looked like in certain casual wear." A sigh. "I wonder if Kanshin port sells disposable cameras…"

"Sakura-chan!"

--

"The tie feels strange, and, uh… I think it'll look odd, wearing a tie with um, casual clothes…"

"Don't pull at the knot."

"The torn jeans look…"

"Don't pick at the fraying, that's normal."

"I don't want to let down my hair."

"Iruka-sensei…"

--

The self-consciousness he felt at the odd getup Sakura had more or less forced him to wear (long-sleeved shirt with two buttons undone and open cuffs, dark blue, torn jeans, and a tie that wasn't even tightened around the neck) was allayed somewhat when 'Kiba' looked stunned to see him. He sat down at the table of the designated restaurant first – Sakura was busy pressing bags of purchases into Asuma's hands, explaining their purpose – Shino was next, looking through the menu.

'Kiba' sat a little too close for their ruse – Iruka shifted a little, as he would, if it was really Kiba. "How was your day?"

It took a long moment before Kakashi visibly shook himself, and said, "Uh. Fine. Went well."

"I didn't pick this out," he said, as a way of explanation, blushing slightly. "So if it looks odd… well, I _told_ her."

"Doesn't look odd at all," 'Kiba' said, a little too quickly. "I like it. Iruka-sensei, I need to talk to you, after lunch."

"About?"

"Um… how much I like… I mean, homework," 'Kiba' said, shifting a little closer. Iruka's blush deepened. _Oh._

Sakura shot him a brief, smug glance, which he purported to ignore.

Later, while Kakashi, despite best efforts and protests, proceeded to show him in private exactly how his yukata perversion seemed to extend towards shirts and jeans, Iruka understood what Sakura had said to be true; in a relationship that involved something as primal and ancient as the concept of love, sentiment that could be expressed by words were often unnecessary.

-fin-


	6. Hidden Climes

November 4

Untrodden Ways

A/N: Groundwork shows that the prompt for today is from Wordsworth. Hmmm! And so, I felt I should get my bum around to actually writing in some actual plot, for this arc. Lol.

4

Yume

Hidden climes 

When he dies, Iruka thought, he'll like to have a white stone cross as a marker – something plain; not even the calligraphy that records his passing should be any more intricate than it should. He doesn't think he'll be buried with Kakashi – after all, ninja of Kakashi's ilk usually got a carving on that memorial stone and burial with all due honor (or what was left of them, or maybe something that represented them – the latter most often – after all, a ninja's body was destroyed, when he died).

He, on the other hand, was a chuunin amongst many chuunin, unremarkable save to children under his guardianship – he would likely never warrant anything in his life to have his name marked on the cross next to Kakashi's, near his parents'.

The knowledge never bothered him, really, even when he was up late marking assignments on a Saturday night and realizing how his addiction to work wasn't particularly tolerant of an involved social life. As much as he pushed his partner towards it; he himself not so much hid from it as found other things that always seemed more important, at the moment.

It bothered him now – on a wheelchair up on the deck of the small ship headed towards a trading port on the outskirts of Mist, glad to be able to feel the salt spray on his bared arms, feel the heat on the back of his neck and remember that he was (at least for now) still alive (though poor Sakura, she wasn't as good at hiding her emotions as she should be, especially for a kunoichi… he knew he was worsening). Asuma leant against the rail, smoking, and dressed in a black tee with stylized kanji in blue on the back and faded blue jeans, their hitai-ate all hidden in their trunks, for all appearances a group of friends, traveling together. Kakashi, Sakura and Shino were scoping out the ship, just out of habit, though it was Hidden Leaf friendly, and should be safe.

"Asuma-san," Iruka murmured, barely audible over the waves as the fisherman's cutter _Cormorant_ sliced through the blue. "Did Tsunade-sama… brief you about this… mission?"

"What do you mean?" Asuma asked – though his eyes twinkled, amused.

"I apologize for being a pest about it… but I truly cannot understand why two jounin and two genin would be sent to try and heal a chuunin, when Konoha is so… understaffed, at the moment. There are others in Konoha with terminal illnesses."

"Hn." Asuma took a deep drag of his cigarette, as if debating whether or not to confide in Iruka. "Any thoughts?"

"The most obvious one I could think of is that Tsunade-sama is afraid of losing Kakashi." Iruka said, staring at the white surf in the cutter's wake. "But that makes little sense. Sakura-chan's expression tells me enough. I know it's unlikely that I will survive long enough to reach where we have to be, in Mist. It might have been safer to simply… um… contain him in Konoha." He couldn't put it otherwise, not without feeling nausea.

"Go on," Asuma encouraged, his eyes half-lidding and turning to the entrance below decks.

Iruka was a teacher, and as a teacher he knew students learned and tested best under simulations – and in simulations he crafted, the objective was always something stable, predictable and not too important (pre-genin, after all). "It's a chuunin test. For Sakura-chan and Shino-kun. And it was meant to be for Kiba-kun, as well, perhaps. To see how they handle under pressure, infiltration, combat, while entering possibly hostile enemy countries."

"Close," Asuma smiled. "You're good, Iruka-sensei."

"Close?" Iruka repeated.

"It's true that with the destruction of Konoha and the current turmoil in Sand as they address the death of their Kazekage, there's been a temporary halt to Chuunin testing," Asuma breathed out a puff of smoke, "And the traditional forms of Chuunin testing… have been quite wasteful anyway, in my opinion. At least until they reassess and reappoint invigilators and testing grounds… we have to craft our own tests. As you've guessed."

"But you said I was close," Iruka said, nonplussed.

"Well. Tsunade-sama is of the opinion that her student, at least, is jounin material," Asuma waved his hand. "And Shino-kun… well, he has come with the best recommendations, as well – not to mention his… ability is well suited to countering Sharingan and Chidori. So this is a combined test. After all… otherwise, the difficulty would be too high, merely for a chuunin test – not only do they have personal ties to the 'objective', they also have to – as you say – handle pressure, infiltration, combat and the possibility that one of their comrades could go rogue, if they were to fail. That's a lot of jounin-level decisions."

"Ah." Iruka blinked. Well. He did feel better, now that he understood there was some logic behind the entire business. "And you didn't want to tell me, from the start, because you felt I might skew the test."

Asuma nodded.

"What changed?"

"You guessed close enough, anyway, despite best efforts," Asuma pointed out. "To make it seem as though Tsunade-sama was merely humoring one of Konoha's most famous ninja."

"But how do they fare so far?" Iruka asked, curious, despite himself – a teacher's protective instinct.

"How would you grade?" Asuma grinned.

"I would think they were at least chuunin level," Iruka's lip quirked, "But then, you could say I'm biased, Asuma-san. Sakura-chan, has handled healing, dispute resolution and combat perfectly. Shino-kun has performed support intuitively, reconnaissance and… well, yesterday when we were intercepted by pirates…" He shuddered. Shino's chakra bugs were frightening.

"That's barely what's tested for, for chuunin," Asuma took another drag at his cigarette. "But I have confidence in those two. Otherwise…"

"Otherwise you'll never have agreed to come?" Iruka glanced at him, arching an eyebrow.

"Hah. I would have, anyway. Since… well, _Kakashi_," Asuma waved his hand absently. The smoke pulled south in the wind. "I meant I would not have picked those as my team; or agreed to take Sakura-chan, especially. I foresee a lot of trouble, from her, were Kakashi to… eh."

Iruka grimaced, looking down fixedly at his hands – they shook all the time now, despite his best efforts. Silent, he flinched, when Asuma clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Don't think about it."

"But does he know you're…"

"Oh? Yes. Of course," Asuma shrugged. "He's not known as a genius-ninja for nothing. And likely, he also already knows what this mission is really about. Notice the pirates business, yesterday."

That was true. Kakashi had stayed near Iruka, but hadn't participated, not even when one of the pirates had gotten a lucky stab in on Sakura's leg. At that time, Iruka had been furious – he'd felt Kakashi was being overprotective to the point of ignoring his other companions' safety. It had been only lucky that Shino had located and incapacitated the pirate leader (who hadn't actually participated in the fight, and so wasn't immediately obvious) by body language. A private confrontation later had Kakashi explaining himself only with a shrug, and a statement that Sakura-chan certainly didn't require his help with such rabble.

Iruka felt somewhat guilty now – but it didn't mean he still liked what Kakashi had done. Was that what jounin were to…

"If there was any real danger, Iruka-sensei…" Asuma pointed out, as if guessing his thoughts.

"But…"

"Hah. You watched the chuunin testing duels, the last time, didn't you?"

True, and true again – the jounin had been frighteningly fast, in stopping duels whenever it seemed that they were to go too far. "Ah."

"The only objection I really had to this mission," Asuma said then, looking up to the sky, "Was that with its high chance of failure, I thought… wouldn't it be kinder – better, that is – for, well… if you were to pass on, wouldn't you prefer to do so in Konoha, around those who love you, rather than in the middle of nowhere. Not that Kakashi would listen to that sort of reasoning… but I felt you really should have been given an informed choice." Dryly, "As you can tell, nobody listened to me – in fact, Genma hit me just for suggesting it."

"Hn." Iruka frowned. He knew what his answer would have been, had he been given a choice – he disliked the very idea that he would be placing others in danger for his sake. "I would have refused to go."

Asuma nodded.

"But Kakashi… if he were to…" Iruka hesitated. "Asuma-san… could you…"

Asuma smiled, wryly. "Iruka-sensei, the reason why I stopped being a hunter-nin was partly because… for me, killing people I used to know has always been a last resort. Though I doubt he will much listen to reason."

--

In their shared cabin, at night, Kakashi tensed slightly when Iruka curled close against him, uncharacteristically. Arms encircled him, then there was a soft murmur into his hair. "Spoke to Asuma?"

Iruka nodded against Kakashi's chest.

"Ah."

"Kakashi…"

"If you're going to make me promise to get Sakura-chan and Shino-kun back to Konoha safely, whatever happens, it'll be skewing the test," Kakashi murmured, though he sounded playful. "After all, part of the problem _is _the possibility that I'll go berserk."

"But you…"

"Maa… I wouldn't know, would I?" Kakashi exhaled sharply. "I can't even think about you dying, like this, where I can't do anything to help you, without feeling ill, let alone what I'll do afterwards."

"Promise me, please."

"Test or no test," Kakashi muttered, "I'm only here because it'll matter the world to me whether you survive or not. For me, that's the only issue here. I don't care if Sakura-chan or Shino-kun have to take a genin's pay for a year, two years, however long more."

"But you won't hurt…"

"Can we not talk about this?" Kakashi growled, then tempered his voice. "Please."

It could be that there was not long more, Iruka understood. He hesitated, then nodded again. "All right. Sorry."

--

Honrou Port was startlingly busy for what was supposedly a smallish port on the edges of Mist territory that dealt primarily with trade in fruit from Leaf – as the cutter docked, Iruka stared at the gorgeously painted, sleek warships that sat at the other end of the docks for repairs – perhaps back from pirate hunting. The rest of the harbor had the usual junks and fishermen's sloops, not to mention a few ungainly merchants' vessels; the place smelled, as harbors did, predominantly of fish.

Asuma was frowning at the warships – once the gangplank was lowered, he muttered, "I have to check something out in town. Book us some rooms at this place." He pushed a piece of paper into Sakura's hands. With that, he hurried down the plank and melted into the crowd.

Sakura stared at the address in her hands, even as 'Kiba' gently lifted Iruka into his arms (despite the blush, and the protests). "But I don't even know my way around!"

"Ask the captain?" 'Kiba' suggested, as Shino folded the wheelchair and took it down the plan, unfolded it, then went back up for their light luggage. Sakura nodded, and went to the helm.

"What do you think Konoki-san saw?" Iruka murmured, using the prearranged assumed name for Asuma, when 'Kiba' placed him back in the wheelchair and accepted a pack from Shino.

"Those are Hidden Mist warships," 'Kiba' replied, pointing at the sails – there was an almost imperceptible sigil written on a black pennant, at the mainmast of each ship. "According to our brief, they do occasionally make port here for repairs."

"Warships?" Iruka blinked – a surprise, for a citizen of landbound Konoha all his life.

"Hidden Mist is on a small island some distance from the mainland of Mist country," 'Kiba' explained. "They have ships. And most of their missions, I've heard, involve issues to do with the sea. Mist country – unlike the other countries – is famous for its Mainland Security – so most matters on the mainland are resolved internally by the government."

"But they have Hidden Mist…"

"Ah… Hidden Mist is one of the oldest Hidden villages," 'Kiba' shrugged. "It'll be hard to dissolve. And besides, the Hidden villages are a traditional symbol of…"

"…military might," Iruka nodded. He knew that much. "But Konoki-san…"

"Oh, he has business in town, no doubt," 'Kiba' said, a little too blandly – obviously wanting to follow it up himself – but just as obviously having been left to escort Sakura, Shino and Iruka to the inn. "Ah, Sana-chan. Done?"

"It's near the main shopping street," Sakura said, with a nod and a sidelong glance at the warships.

--

'Konoki' only came back around the evening, just before they were preparing to go sample the first on their list of restaurants recommended by the extremely friendly, fat lady innkeeper (who thought them tourists from Konoha, and was more than happy to cash in on the industry – it seemed that Honrou port was a popular stop, due to the white beaches). He was silent, up until they booked a private room at the seafood restaurant – then he looked at Shino, who nodded. Iruka tried his best not to look at the few bugs that scurried out from under Shino's sleeves to fly away in different directions.

After a while, Shino murmured, "It's safe, but we shouldn't speak too loudly."

Asuma exhaled. "Those ships. We're in luck, if you want to see it that way."

Kakashi stared at him. "Then you're saying…"

"Yes. The ones with the heron figureheads – they belong to the Rohnoka clan." Asuma was frowning. "And I don't believe in coincidences. Word could have gotten out."

"We weren't particularly inconspicuous in Kanshin," Kakashi pointed out, dryly – although no one looked at Sakura, she blushed. "If their intelligence is halfway decent, they could have picked up on you entering their territory. Jounin."

"And I've never been good at masking my chakra," Asuma admitted. "That's why I did put out some word in Kanshin that we're here on medical reasons. Just in case."

"I don't see what…" Sakura frowned. "Even if they belong to the clan, isn't this Chire person located in Hidden Mist? We'll have to go there, anyway."

"That depends on whether they're looking for us, and for what," Asuma pointed out, mildly. "I doubt it'd be for altruistic reasons."

"But if they already know we're here, then our cover's been blown, so we might as well… well, talk to them," Sakura said, with a quick glance at Iruka. Her body language spoke louder than words – _Iruka-sensei might not have that much time, for us to slowly scope out the real situation._

"I'll count the mission a failure if that ends with all of us getting arrested and killed," Iruka said, dryly.

"There's no law against visiting other countries," Sakura pointed out, "Especially for medical reasons. I've seen people from Sound and Sand approach Tsunade-sama for medical aid, before, she's never refused them."

"How many of those were ninja?" Kakashi asked. "Or were actually treated within Konoha?"

Sakura blushed. "Um, well…"

Abruptly, Eishin began to bark at the window – Kakashi and Asuma rolled into a crouch, kunai appearing in their hands – Sakura and Shino only moments slower. Asuma glanced at Shino, who frowned, and shook his head. "I sense nothing."

"There's someone," Kakashi said, stroking Eishin's fur. "By scent."

"Illusion?" Asuma looked around, sharply.

"I would have sensed it," Kakashi frowned.

There was an eerie clapping sound, from just outside the window – then an elderly-looking man faded into view, cross-legged and barefoot on thin air, dressed in sober gray robes. Wisps of white hair fought a losing battle over his wrinkled, spotted scalp, and his eyes were hidden under a drooping brow. Attempts to cultivate further facial hair were obviously doomed to failure – the moustache was nearly invisible, and the beard was more of a nascent goatee. Skin papery with age on elegant fingers, now clasped in his lap, as the man inclined his head. "May I join you for dinner?"

Asuma hesitated, then nodded slowly, and a place was vacated between himself and Sakura. The old man got to his feet – still on thin air – and clambered through the window, then seated himself with the unhurried grace of the elderly. "Konoha ninja. I am sorry for the subterfuge, but it was necessary."

"How long were you…" Asuma blinked.

"Up until the wind changed," the old man admitted, with a glance at Eishin – the dog's teeth were still bared. "Then… ah, even the best chakra control cannot seem to mask scent. I have to work on that."

"The best chakra control… you're Rohnoka Chire-san?" Sakura yelped, her eyes wide.

Chire turned his head slowly to regard her – he nodded again, slowly. "And you must be Tsunade's apprentice. I've heard of you." Wryly, "I didn't think she would take any more."

"Oh. Uh." Sakura blinked, rapidly.

"So you know why we're here?" Asuma frowned.

"I have agents in Kanshin," Chire shrugged, and looked at Iruka. "But… dinner, first."

Dinner was a slightly strained affair – Chire was affable, and Asuma was making an effort to be the same, but everyone else was wary, especially at one point when Chire wanted to get a serving of _inari _and the plate simply floated over to him. Chakra, extended easily and with no apparent concentration at all, used as a tool – chakra control so great that it refracted light, for invisibility, and which allowed the old man to walk on air – it seemed impossible, but the ninja had all, between them, seen even more impossible things, in their short lives.

Afterwards, when the plates were cleared, Iruka said, a little timidly, "Chire-san…"

"You have _Yume_," Chire said, without looking at him. "And because of that, Tsunade has sent you to me. However, I find it… curious. Your chakra flow – even what's left of it – indicates that at best, you were at chuunin-level."

"Fuma-san is a very important person to us," Sakura said, very quickly. "So, please, Chire-san."

Chire looked at her, thoughtfully, then across the table at 'Kiba', then at Eishin, then to Asuma. "It may surprise all of you to know that I have large files on the jounin of other Hidden villages, especially those of note, and in particular about their personal life. One never knows, after all, and clan Rohnoka is the Archival Clan for a reason." His gaze turned back to Kakashi. "And it may further surprise you to know that the acquisition of jutsu changes a body's chakra flow; and chakra flow patterns are also somewhat hereditary."

"So we have files also and especially on the few great bloodline limits, of which the Sharingan belongs. Therefore, I would have to ask… why should I heal the life partner of the man whose father killed my brother?"

Iruka winced – he had been half-expecting that question, but it still came as a shock, to hear it stated so baldly. He managed to get his hand on Kakashi's shoulder, however, before the other ninja could do anything foolish.

Kakashi bowed his head, then his fingers moved into a seal – the illusion of Kiba faded away, and he inclined his head, slightly. "Then you must also know that I had no love of my father, at the end."

"Hatake Kakashi-san," Chire nodded, as if Kakashi had just passed a test. "My question still stands."

"What do you want me to do?" Kakashi inquired flatly.

"Straight to the point," Chire smiled, faintly. "Small wonder you were the one to craft a jutsu like Chidori."

"It's obvious you want something, above petty revenge," Kakashi said, a little impatiently, "Or you wouldn't have gone to so much trouble as to intercept us and talk to us, rather than refusing outright. Well? What do you want?"

Asuma grimaced. "Kakashi…"

"I'm not interested in further small talk," Kakashi swung narrowed eyes to Asuma, "Not when Iruka may die at any moment."

"He still has a few days," Chire said, mildly.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed into slits – Iruka tightened his fingers on his shoulder – and he relaxed, grudgingly.

Chire took a sip of green tea, looking somber. "Perhaps you are not aware of the political clime in Mist, at the moment, Konoha ninja."

"Um… tension with Leaf…" Sakura began, haltingly.

"Quite," Chire nodded. "And much against the opinion of the Mizukage, who sees war with another country with a powerful Shinobi village as rightfully wasteful and destructive. However, the weight of the Mizukage's opinion, of late, has been… not so heavy, in the ears of the Mist government, because of the growing power of Mainland Security."

"They want war with Leaf? Why?" Asuma blinked, disbelieving.

"Mist is a small country that must depend on trade – the soil and clime of the mainland is not conducive to growing crops – most rot, in the mist," Chire said, heavily. "They seek to gain a foothold on the continent proper. Or that is what the Mizukage feels. The official reasons have not as yet been released, only that diplomatic relations have broken down – the blame, of course, has been put on Leaf."

"So you want us to do something about this Mainland Security?" Kakashi frowned. "That would be a rather…"

"No, I recognize it would be an impossible task, even were Hidden Mist to lend you the aid of all its jounin," Chire shook his head. "Mainland Security's power is too entrenched, now, and it has been partly our fault, for noticing too late. We need information – exactly why Mist intends to make war on Leaf, who intends this war, their reasons, their details – all the little things that would make it easier for the Mizukage to oppose this. We have been planning on doing it ourselves, for some time now, but your arrival has accelerated matters most nicely."

"And in return you'll…" Kakashi began.

Chire glanced at Iruka again, then sighed, heavily. "I will _try_. He is at an advanced stage. The last few sufferers of this disease I treated, were not so late." Quietly, "To avert this war, I would put aside my blood feud with you, at least for now, but I can make no promises."

"If he…" Kakashi took a breath. "This task you put to us, I doubt we can do it in a few days. And you say…"

"I will treat Umino-san first, of course," Chire nodded. "Or try. If I fail, then, of course, you are welcome to return to Leaf, though you can see how it would benefit your country, to simply find this information for us, anyway. Hidden Mist cannot risk direct involvement – the Mizukage has too many enemies in the Pale Court – and even if you are caught, you have good enough motive that they may not trace you to us. And I suppose I need not remind you how Konoha cannot afford a war with us, at the moment, anyway."

"Try _now_," Kakashi demanded, evidently tiring of politics.

Chire looked amused. "I need my tools, and they are on my flagship."

"Then let's go."

-tbc-


	7. The Proverbial Moment

November 9

Scattered Pearls

A/N: I read scattered pearls with reference to 'pearls of wisdom' (phrase): and so decided to write a continuation to Yume that uses a lot of trite sayings. XD Strength in numbers, truth in lies. Note: the Bishounen Appreciation Club is from Suikoden V. Warning for silliness.

Yume

5

The proverbial moment

-_Silence is Golden_-

_If people didn't want him to know they were talking about him, really, the most polite thing to do should be to speak somewhere where he couldn't hear anything._ Iruka rolled over in the bed that smelled of lemon and starch, groping for a pillow to pull over his head. Every nerve in his body felt as though it had been put through some sort of tenderizer (gruesome but appropriate image), he still couldn't see (scratchy blindfolds) and every breath reminded his oddly raw throat how he should be grateful to be alive.

"…The surgery was a success," that was Chire-san speaking, soothingly, somewhere indistinct (behind a door?). "But he won't be able to have visitors for a while. He needs absolute peace."

_Absolute peace would be good. The voices hurt his ears. Too loud. _Iruka tried, dimly, to say something sarcastic at that point, about how absolute peace didn't really involve _talking so loudly_, but his tongue felt stiff.

"But I want to see him," Kakashi's protest made Iruka automatically drag muscles in his face up into a wry smile. _So much like him… _

More words he couldn't make out, feeling more and more drowsy, then finally, silence, and gentle hands pulling a blanket over his shoulders and two wrinkled fingers, against his neck. A murmur above him, and he felt he could sleep…

-_As fit as a fiddle/As sound as a bell_-

"Iruka-san?" A carefully polite voice. Iruka rolled over to see Chire-san, sitting at a chair next to him and… was that knitting? He blinked, stared at the pink wooly threads and the (scarf? Sock?) whatever it was he was making, then back up at Chire. Was he hallucinating still?

Chire followed his gaze, chuckled, then put the knitting up a sleeve of his robe. "Do not worry, you are cured. That is a past-time of mine… it helps to hone my concentration."

The ludicrousness of what Tsunade-sama had effectively termed the one with the greatest control of chakra, whom Iruka had seen use to walk on air, having knitting as a favorite hobby, made him frown. "Where's… where's Kakashi?"

"I will call him afterwards," Chire said, getting to his feet and picking up something from the ground, which he set up at the foot of the bed. A white board, with several words of kanji printed on it, in varying sizes, for testing eyesight. "Firstly, I am sorry, but I have to run a few tests."

Eyes, motor control, hearing, scent, touch and pattern-recognition tests later, Iruka felt exhausted, and watched Chire write something on a clipboard and murmur to himself, then turn back and smile. "You will be pleased to know that the surgery was indeed a success, Iruka-san. So far, in any case. You will have to rest at least a week before you should try using chakra – under supervision, of course."

"Thank you," Iruka said, feeling that saying so was inadequate. He held his hand up before his eyes, and seeing it hold steady, with no tremors, made his throat clench.

Chire chuckled, wryly. "You may not thank me yet, Iruka-san. This was not altruism on my part."

-_If you can't help, don't hinder_-

"Iruka-sensei!" Sakura was actually crying, as she hugged him tightly enough to squeeze the air from his lungs. "You're okay!"

Iruka laughed, and patted her hair, a little embarrassed. "Maa, Sakura-chan, I can't… breathe…"

Sakura loosened her grip a little, but still curled up against him, burying her face against his shoulder. Wetness, through the fabric. "Iruka-sensei…"

He looked up, behind her, to the expressionless Shino, a grinning Asuma – and Kakashi, who sat down on the bed and simply gripped his hand. Thinned lips softened, then curled into a smile of exhausted relief. Dark circles, under the single visible eye – the other again covered by a tilted hitai-ate. Nothing else really needed to be said.

"We'll be leaving in a week," Asuma said, scratching his head. "At the moment, we're guests of Hidden Mist. They have the most amazing seafood, Iruka-sensei, you're really missing out, stuck in hospital." An unrepentant laugh, when Sakura wiped her eyes, then turned her head to glare at Asuma. "Right now, we're really just waiting for one of their spies from the Pale Court to get back here and brief us more thoroughly."

"That brings us to the question, Iruka-sensei," Asuma continued, looking over at the closed door, then at Shino, who shrugged. Of course – the chakra bugs couldn't sense Chire earlier anyway, in Honrou port. "We're trying to decide who stays here with you, and I think your input would be important."

"Stays here… with me?" Iruka blinked. "But why?"

"Because," Kakashi said softly, "Rohnoka has a blood-feud with me. So I do not feel particularly comfortable, leaving you here alone."

"Oh." Iruka blinked. Two jounin, a medical ninja, and a ninja who was suited to ranged attacks and scouting. Taking away any of the team would be a detriment. "Um. I am sure that they mean no harm to me," he said, as reassuringly as he could.

"I think you should come with us, Iruka-sensei," Sakura poked him in the shoulder. "After all, together we will be stronger, neh?"

Kakashi shook his head, quickly. "That could be worse. Where we're going…"

"And if you're so sure they mean Iruka-sensei harm, isn't it worse to leave him here – with whoever else – in a village full of ninja?" Sakura retorted. "Either we take him or we don't go. Neh, Iruka-sensei?"

"I don't think I will be very useful," Iruka pointed out, mildly.

"If we're going to be infiltrating the place," Asuma said, slowly, "Sakura-chan may have a point. The best covers always have some element of truth. We could say that we were indeed here for medical reasons, and now that you've recovered, we've decided to tour the mainland before returning."

"It's dangerous," Kakashi muttered.

"And I might… get in the way," Iruka added.

"You're the most normal-looking of all of us," Asuma said, dryly. "The best front for a cover, too, with a face like that."

"A face like what?" Sakura peered at Iruka.

"Open honesty," Asuma grinned.

"Er…"

"That's settled, then!" Asuma folded his hands into his jeans pockets. "You're coming with us!"

"Er…?"

"Asuma!"

-_Early to bed, early to rise, makes you healthy, wealthy and wise_-

"That just made no sense whatsoever," Iruka complained to Kakashi, when they were in private. Kakashi had pulled him into his lap, and was nuzzling his hair, hands stroking thighs, hands, shoulder, face, seemingly randomly, as if to reassure himself that Iruka was really there, and perfectly fine. "Kakashi."

"Mm." Kakashi murmured, sleepily, which made him frown.

"Kakashi… when was the last time you slept?"

"Don't remember," the jounin yawned.

"_What?_"

-_Love levels all inequalities_-

Sakura turned a corner in the garden attached to the guest villa, studying the herbs, and blinked to see several Mist kunoichi, giggling to themselves and hiding behind a wall. One gasped when they saw her, and she suddenly found herself the target of six inquisitive stares. "Ah, you are Sakura-chan!" One said, suddenly, and yanked her into the wall. "Sae!"

"Right!" One of the girls folded fingers into a seal, and the air shimmered around them.

"Er…" Sakura blinked.

"This meeting of the BAC is now in order!" the first girl rapped her hand against a barrel.

"…BAC?"

"The Bishounen Appreciation Club," Sae supplied, from behind her.

"The _what_?"

"Dedicated to the appreciation of bishounen!" the first girl struck a pose. "I am Chairperson Una!"

"Dedicated to the preservation of bishounen romance!" Sae folded her hand into an L-shape, and curled it under her face. "I am Vice-Chairperson Sae!"

"Dedicated to the protection of bishounen attractiveness!" A girl with riotously curly hair posed. "I am Treasurer Maya!"

"Dedicated to the encouragement of yaoi! I am Secretary Hayase!" A girl with pink ribbons around a haphazard ponytail raised her hand, cheerfully.

"…_yaoi?!_"

"Dedicated to the honor of shameless smut! Initiates Fuuyo and Chuuyo!" Twins, it seemed – freckled, plaited hair dyed green.

"Er..?!"

"So, Honorary Guest Sakura-chan," Una rapped her knuckles on the barrel again, "Tell us about Hatake-san and Umino-san. When did they get together? Do they live together in Konoha? Do they go on dates? Do they call each other by pet names?"

"Er… eeh…" Sakura blushed. "Er…"

"Slow down, Una-sama," Sae grinned. "Sakura-chan, in your own time."

"Er… when did they get together… that was er, last year's Midsummer festival." Sakura, to her surprise, found herself relating a brief account of events.

"Kamishimos," Una arched an eyebrow. "Take this down, Hayase-chan! Part of our Future Agenda would be the acquisition of such photos!"

"Yes, Una-sama!"

"Uh… and they live together in Konoha now, I think… a month before the illness or so… Iruka-sensei moved in with Kakashi-sensei…"

"Hah! They are in Stage Three!" Una clapped her hands together. "I thought so!"

"I record Stage Three, Una-sama!" Hayase crowed, as she scribbled furiously.

"And they go on dates," Sakura said, then suddenly frowned. "Er, I'm not sure I should be… uh…"

"It's all right, Sakura-chan," Una pursed her lips. "All that has been discussed between us remains confidential. For your aid, we will make you an Honorary Member as well! Honorary members get access to drinks, discounts in the Eiya dress shop downtown, and access to our photo album."

"Discounts?" Sakura brightened. Well. This insanity didn't sound so bad, after all. "Um, as to pet names… I don't know."

"No matter. We have so far ascertained that they don't," Una shrugged, looking up at a window.

Wait. That window was… "_All of you are here because_…!"

There was a loud whine from the room above, that turned into a gasping moan. "Ka…kashi… aah… d-don't…"

"Spread your legs wider… Iruka…"

"Aah… don't… I'm not… aah!" Moans, from both men, sounds that Sakura wouldn't want to ever hear again, then a strangled groan from Iruka, and a purr, from Kakashi, then nothing.

Sakura flushed crimson. "All of you are…!"

"Mission three hundred and five complete!" Una cheered. "Come, let us celebrate with ice cream! Sakura-chan, you are welcome to join us, it'll be our treat!"

"Ehh… err…" Sakura gave up. Ice-cream sounded good.

On the way down to the main road, a chuunin hurried up to them, and bowed. "Mizukage-sama, Hanzo is back from the Pale Court."

"Tell him I will meet him in my office in two hours," Una said.

"_EEH?_"


	8. And the most careful plots

November 11

Wind-time, wolf-time

A/N: Wolves make me think of Kakashi.

And the most careful plots 

Iruka frowned when Sakura-chan consistently refused to meet his eyes, as they were escorted into the Mizukage's office, on the top floor of Hidden Mist Village's (rather dramatically titled) Tower of Empyrean Drought. The waiting room had been lavishly furnished, with gorgeous oakwood furniture and tables of palest marble, with velvet curtains to keep out the ever-present scents from the harbor that the Tower overlooked, lighted with flickering, semi-opaque hanging globes of blue crystal. Iruka didn't remember the administrative building of Konoha being this elaborate – the Hokages had gone for functionality over the need to impress.

The Mizukage's office was no different – beautiful, ancient scrolls of art were framed at even intervals on the wall, each depicting a different mood of the sea over filmy rice paper; heavy rosewood chairs with pale blue, satiny cushions had been placed in a semi-circle before the antique mahogany desk, where paper had been neatly sorted into different piles, the quills intricately wreathed in silver. Behind the desk was a window, also curtained, and before it sat a surprisingly young, pretty pale girl, with jade pins in her coiffed auburn hair, dressed in an elaborate maroon silk kimono, decorated with stylized phoenix feathers etched in gold thread over the sleeves. Beside her, on her left, was a masked kunoichi (a heron mask – the Rohnoka clan, perhaps); on the left, a male ninja (a demon's mad grin, painted in orange and blue over the white oval mask). ANBU guards – or at least, the Mist's version of ANBU. Beside her desk was an exhausted-looking ninja with a stack of notes in his hands and tousled gray hair, dressed in the blue flak vest of Hidden Mist.

Sakura-chan, beside him, inhaled sharply – but Iruka supposed that was normal. The sheer formality was intimidating – when the Mizukage indicated, with a wave of stately grace, that they take their seats, he did so without comment, seating himself at the far corner, next to Kakashi.

"Konoha ninja," the Mizukage spoke, with solemn dignity, "I am Murasame Una, Mizukage of Hidden Mist. I bid you all welcome, and thank you for assuming this task. Hanzo-san here has just returned from the Pale Court, and he will brief you on the situation there."

"Thank you, Mizukage-sama," Hanzo said, shuffling the notes and clearing his throat. "Er. Help has come at a good time – the Pale Court's getting more divisive at the minute. I have heard rumor of secret conferences, between the government of Mist and Mainland security, without inviting your representative at the Court… er, your brother Kaisa-sama. Kaisa-sama also tells me that of late, any attempts he has made to even bring up the issue of war within the weekly Court councils have been met with evasion."

The Mizukage pursed her lips. "That is very strange. Hiren-san – the Prime Minister – this is poor work, for him, to be so obvious. It is almost as if they want us to know that there is something… odd, going on."

"Kaisa-sama and I suspect a trap," Hanzo admitted, glancing at Asuma. "So we have only been prying as much as we dared. Some of our ANBU operatives who tried to take it a step further – well, not all of them have returned. Um. Just in case, Kaisa-san and I took steps to secure the Hidden Mist enclave, within the mainland – of course, as visitors from Konoha, we will offer all of you rooms there, which would be safer than any of you taking rooms in the inns about town, if that is all right…"

"That would be fine, thank you," Asuma nodded, with a quick glance at Kakashi – he shrugged slightly.

"And that is really all we have for you, I'm sorry," Hanzo said, wryly, "Though… the other day, Kaisa-sama heard mention – as he was passing by a room – of some ministers discussing 'Yuriha, the war-maker'. He could find nothing else about it, however, and the few moles we have in the Pale Court have found no mention nor written evidence. It may be of little consequence at all. Would any of you happen to… no? Ah. Well, it was just a thought," Hanzo added, when all of them shook their heads.

"Consult Chire-san, after this," the Mizukage suggested, thoughtfully. "Perhaps the Archives will have something about this 'Yuriha'."

"Forgive me for saying this," Asuma started, slowly, "But I do not see how much help we can be, if you already have tried looking for the requisite information."

"We hope that outsiders may see what we can not," Hanzo admitted, "And, er… prying further than we already have…"

"As dangerous as that is?" Asuma's smile was wry.

"That is why, despite what Chire-san has said," the Mizukage glanced down at the papers on her desk, "I cannot of good conscience require any of you to be involved simply because of a healing-debt. If you go, you go with the knowledge of how dangerous this is – and you are free to leave for Konoha, at any time, if you so wish. It would be unfair, otherwise, to require this of you."

"We've already decided," Sakura-chan cut in at that point, though she glanced at Asuma and Kakashi for confirmation. "We do not want war either. So…"

"Thank you, Sakura-san," the Mizukage smiled. "Unfortunately, with the increased raids from the Jyinyo pirates of late, we cannot spare any ANBU members or jounin… and truth to say, it would likely be too conspicuous, did we do so. But those who are already in the mainland will be happy to aid you, of course. Hanzo will accompany you there, whenever you are ready."

"We'll speak with Chire-san first," Kakashi said, "And if it is possible, we would like you to send Konoha a message – discreetly, of course – about what has happened so far."

"It will be done," the Mizukage rose to her feet when they did. "Go with the blessing of the wind-sea on your hunt."

--

"The Mizukage is so young," Iruka remarked to Chire afterwards, when consultation with the Archival Clan revealed no hint whatsoever about 'Yuriha', and far too many hints to be useful about 'war-maker'. "Not that I am doubting her ability, but…"

"Ah. Murasame Una-sama," Chire's face softened, as if in affection. In the corner of his eyes, Iruka saw Sakura flinch, and bury her face in a book. Strange. "Technically, I suppose I am her great-great-great nephew."

"What?" Iruka's eyes widened. Sakura tensed, and there was a stifled 'Eeh?' behind him.

"She is in her… I think eighth incarnation, so far," Chire said, slipping into a sonorous voice that he saved for lectures. "The Murasame clan – the ruling clan of Mist – does so because of its bloodline limit, 'Immortal Phoenix'. There are only three of them – one brother and two sisters – and they take turns ruling Mist. When they die, they are reincarnated immediately, in the sacred fount within their clan holding; they also retain all the memories of their previous lives, and the skills they have learned."

"Oh, I see." Iruka frowned. "But only three at one time…"

"As a consequence of their bloodline limit, they cannot have children," Chire said, as he put a book back on the shelf. "Even my relationship to Una-sama is because of an oath of sisterhood that an ancestor of mine swore to one of her earlier incarnations. As such, the strongest of each generation in Rohnoka is always placed by her side, to guard her."

"Ah, but Chire-san, the ANBU in the Mizukage's office… but you…"

"It is true that I am strongest in the Rohnoka bloodline limit, technically," Chire smiled, wryly, "But I have always been far better suited to healing, rather than combat. On the other hand, Sae-chan – my daughter – is very talented in the use of our chakra-control limit in fighting."

There was an odd 'erk!' from Sakura, and sudden coughing. Chire frowned at the table. "Sakura-chan, are you feeling all right?"

"I'm fine, fine," Sakura gasped, her fingers clutching the book she held tightly over her expression.

--

Iruka returned to the room he shared with Kakashi to find the jounin flipping through a thick leather-bound book of laminated pages, with the absorbed expression he normally reserved for Icha Icha. "Kakashi, what's that?"

"Mm? Something I found hidden at the bottom of some bags of clothes that Sakura-chan purchased this morning," Kakashi said, turning another page.

"You can't simply look through other people's things!" Iruka yelped, thankful that Sakura was still in the library, walking quickly over and jerking the book out of Kakashi's hands. Unfortunately, this meant that he saw, inadvertently, exactly what was on the laminated pages, and blushed furiously, slamming the book shut. "What… what…"

Photographs. Of men. Kissing. "What is Sakura-chan doing with _this_?"

"Eeh?" Kakashi scratched his head, absently. "Oh, I hear young girls of late are into yaoi, Iruka-sensei."

"But… but _Sakura-chan!_"

"Those weren't even the interesting pages," Kakashi said, mildly, taking the book from trembling fingers and flipping over the pages to one where foolscap had been taped over the page, along with 'OH GOD MY EYES' written over it in Sakura's hand writing. Kakashi peeled back the scotch tape, and pulled up the foolscap, holding the page in front of him. "See?"

Iruka turned crimson, his finger shaking as he pointed at the book. "What… oh… eeh… ano… what…"

Kakashi put the tape and foolscap back, and turned another page. "I knew we weren't alone in the bath house, but whoever it was about had far too good chakra control, and didn't seem to be hostile, so I thought there wasn't really any harm."

"But… but we did _that_ in the bath house and… and… that's… that _photograph_…"

"I wonder if whoever lent Sakura-chan this book would realize it's missing?" Kakashi turned the book over to the last page. "Hn. Who or what is the 'BAC'? Secret files, indeed."

"_Kakashi, you're not seriously considering…!_"

"It's a very good photograph, and I have no photographs of us doing…"

"_And you never will! Put that book back this instant!_"

"Maa, Iruka, I haven't finished looking through it…"

"_Now, or I'll never speak to you again!_"

--

At the roadside sundae store, the BAC convened solemnly over chocolate and mint hot fudge surprises – Sae ran her hands thoughtfully over the book that Sakura returned, and arched an eyebrow. "Did you show this to anyone, Sakura-chan?"

"What? No!" Sakura blinked, around a mouthful of mint ice-cream. "I looked at it um, secretly, at night, that's all."

"Still, someone else has touched this book," Sae said, absently, and Sakura flushed crimson. "There is the faint hint of chakra. Two strains. Rather familiar, at that…"

"I… I didn't see…"

Una took the book from Sae, and flipped through it. "Nothing missing, though. I suppose there's no problem then – after all, it's not the first time someone outside the BAC has taken a look." A grin at Sakura. "So don't worry about it! Sae, do you know who it might have been?"

"The chakra threads are too faint," Sae shook her head, "All I can tell you is that it was two people, and they were ninja, Una-sama."

Sakura's eyes narrowed for a moment, then her flush deepened.

"Do you know who it might have been?" Una asked.

"N-no, Una-san," Sakura said, too hastily, and ate several large spoonfuls of ice-cream. "This is really good! Hahaha!"

"No matter!" Una said, cheerfully, eating a mouthful of her own sundae. "Our next mission, of course, is Operation: Yukata! For this purpose, I have announced a formal dinner and tea ceremony tonight, to welcome our Konoha visitors and to prepare them for the task ahead! Tasteful clothing provided, for greater justice!"

"Wah, that is pure genius, Una-sama!" Hayase chirped, scribbling down on her notepad. "I record Operation: Yukata!"

"Er… that might not be a good idea," Sakura said, cautiously. "A festival is all very well, but I've heard Iruka-sensei mention that um, Kakashi-sensei has a, er, yukata fetish. So he says."

Six pairs of eyes gleamed as they looked at each other. "Record that under Interesting Information, Hayase-chan!" Una directed.

"Yes, Una-sama!"

"We must all be alert tonight! Operation: Yukata would take all of our skills at surveillance and observation," Una rapped her knuckles on the wooden counter of the stall. "Remember, we are to observe, not to interfere!"

"But you _announced_ the festival…"

"Minimal interference!"

"Uh…"

--

"_Kakashi, we can't…_" Iruka _knew_ he should have pled lingering weariness from the operation and hidden himself under the bed until the damned tea ceremony was over. Kakashi had been staring at him with shameless hunger all _night_, it was only luck that the only people who seemed to have noticed were Asuma (amused) and Sakura-chan (blushing and pretending she didn't). He had excused himself briefly to go to the washroom, in between dinner and the scheduled formal dance, and Kakashi had cornered him in a balcony of the Tower's guest-entertainment level. Caught between the cold stone rail and Kakashi's warm (and hot, at that spot, Gods) body, Iruka was trapped, in a semi-public area, and running out of options.

"We can," Kakashi purred, nuzzling his neck, just over the white silk collar of the gorgeous, borrowed yukata with its slightly too long, embroidered sleeves. "And we are." Fingers slipped down to cup his rump, and squeeze, making him help and jerk forward automatically – Kakashi moaned, into his ear.

"_Stop!_" Iruka pushed ineffectively at silk-clad shoulders. Kakashi did look mouthwatering in his dark green yukata, with the elaborate, iridescent designs up the shoulders, but this was highly… inappropriate… kiss… tongues… When they broke for air, Iruka realized his arms were about Kakashi's neck, and his breath was coming in shallow pants. "Kakashi…" a thought struck him. "Wait, what if this BAC is watching?" he hissed.

"I have no doubt they probably are," Kakashi murmured, tilting his head, a hand going down to undo Iruka's belt. "Are you wearing anything under this?"

"A fundoshi… _Kakashi, let go of me, we're in public and there are crazy perverse people with cameras!_"

"We're not, and we won't be expected for a while," Kakashi purred, "The dance is in half an hour, until now everyone's free to mingle, and of course they're only going to do that in sight of the Mizukage, to be polite, so we're free. And don't worry, I'll try and block you."

"Can't we do this _later_?"

"But I want to do it now."

"Well, _I don't!_"

"Hn?" Fingers reached between them, and squeezed.

Iruka clutched at Kakashi's shoulders, arched, and hissed. "Aah! W-wait, Kakashi, why not… uhh… if later, if you… _Kakashi._"

"What?"

"If you're willing to do this later," Iruka muttered, "I'll… um, right now… I'll…"

"You'll?" Kakashi prompted, looking amused. Iruka blushed, glanced around quickly, then leaned forward and whispered harshly into Kakashi's ear. Some of his embarrassment was mitigated, when the jounin stiffened, and moaned softly. "Maa, Iruka… when you say things like that…"

"Well?" He couldn't quite look at Kakashi, after saying that.

"Here?" Breathless.

"Yes. It shouldn't make that much of um, a mess, er… if I…"

"But yourself?"

"You could um, do the same, or… washroom…"

Kakashi looked thoughtful, but only for a moment – he smiled lazily. "All right."

As Iruka sank to his knees, on the cold stone, fingers untangling the knots of Kakashi's belt, he tried his best not to think of cameras.

--

Kakashi inclined his head when a blushing Iruka said he would go back to the group first. "I'll catch up," he said, in the washroom, splashing his face. When the door closed, and steps died away, he stood up, fighting a smirk. When pushed, Iruka had such deliciously hidden depths. It didn't mean he was sated, by far, for tonight, but it had been a start.

And in any case, there were other matters he had to settle, at this point. Straightening, he said aloud, "Girls should stay out of mens' restrooms."

There was an empty silence, then Kakashi tapped his hitai-ate. "I raised it for a moment while washing my face, kunoichi-chan." Sharingan.

Behind him, a girl faded into view – there was something about Chire, in her eyes and poise – she grinned, a camera at her side. "Good evening, Hatake-san."

"You are… 'BAC'?"

"Part of it, yes," the girl admitted, and whipped out a small book from a pack at her hip, worn over her kimono. "Now, do you think you're free to answer some quick questions?"

"What _is_ 'BAC'?"

"The Bishounen Appreciation Club," the girl replied, promptly, with a wink. "When did you first meet Umino-san? We have reason to believe Sakura-chan's information was inaccurate, because of her shock from initiation."

"Eeh… when I took his favorite student as part of my genin team," Kakashi scratched his head, a little nonplussed. Bishounen appreciation, indeed. "Ah… those photographs…"

"I thought you might have been one of those who found our book," the girl nodded. "The chakra signature seemed vaguely familiar."

"Eh… would you mind not taking any more? It's making Iruka… nervous."

"Hm. I will speak to our leader. In exchange, however, would you be willing to mail us a photograph of the both of you in kamishimos?"

Kakashi blinked. How did they… ah yes, Sakura. "Sure."

"I'll consult our leader then," the girl bowed, then looked at the clock mounted on the wall of the restroom and pulled a face. "It looks like we're out of time for an interview. Please leave a note in the second drawer of the Library, though, if you're ever free for a follow-up. Thank you for your time, Hatake-san!"

"Uh… sure," Kakashi said, slowly, then coughed, and looked away. "There's one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Those photographs you've already taken to date… can you make copies?"

-fin-


	9. Underappreciated Subterfuges

1 Who knocks at my heart?

Yume

6

Underappreciated subterfuges

"But I can _walk_," Iruka protested for the fifth time, trying to fend Sakura off as gently as he could, the kunoichi being convinced that not only did Iruka need a wheelchair, he also needed to be tucked in. With a fluffy, flannel, red blanket. With orange tassels. And brown flower print.

"You're our cover for the mainland, Iruka-sensei." Asuma managed to give the impression of smirking without actually smirking, smoking in a corner of Iruka's and Kakashi's Hidden Mist guestroom, next to the window. "So you'll have to look as recently recovered as possible, hmm?"

"I _know_ that, but this surely I can do that without a wheelchair!"

"There's no need to be upset, Iruka-sensei," Sakura said placatingly.

"I'm not upset!"

Arms wrapped around him from behind, and he felt a warm cheek against his tightly bound hair. Iruka managed not to flinch. He had yet to get used to Kakashi's Kiba disguise, still: the illusion wasn't up at the moment, but Kakashi had brought no masks (that Iruka could find) on this mission. "Or I could carry you."

"What? Of course you can't. That'll look even more ridiculous than the wheelchair." Iruka fought the urge not to blush. Public displays of affection before former students made him uncomfortable, even if Sakura seemed more interested in making sure he couldn't squirm out of the blanket and Shino… Shino never looked concerned about anything. The chakra bug user was quietly finalizing their packing in a corner, save for Sakura's things (it seems that both genin had a long talk… at least on Sakura's side… about bugs and girls' clothing and irrational prejudices, but nothing could really be resolved).

"Then it has to be the wheelchair, hn?"

"Don't sound so logical! It's not logical!"

"Ano…"

A hesitant voice cut in through the degenerating fracas (Kakashi attempting to nuzzle Iruka, Iruka attempting to fend off _both_ Sakura's attempts to make him comfortable _and_ Kakashi's growing boldness). Iruka turned his head, glad for the interruption, as Kakashi's hands stilled over his shoulders. A kunoichi stood at the doorway, her smile blindingly cheerful. Chrome orange hair was tied a little haphazardly into a tail by painfully bright pink ribbons, escaping strands pulled absently over her ears. She held a black notebook clutched to her chest, and a quill pen tucked behind an ear. Large silver-rimmed glasses sat precariously on a snub nose.

"Um. Hayase-san?" Sakura straightened, blinking in recognition.

"Ah, Sakura-san!" Hayase bowed sharply and deeply at the waist, reminding Iruka briefly of a dipping bird. "Una-sama has sent me to accompany all of you on your trip to the Mist mainland! Isn't this exciting?"

"Eeh…" Sakura stammered, and her quick, involuntary glance backwards at Kakashi and Iruka made him frown. "Er."

"I thought she couldn't spare any er, Mist ninja," Asuma pointed out from the window. "Because of the pirates."

"Ah! This is business, of course," Hayase bobbed her head again. "We have news that some of the Jyinyo may be crossing your ferry route. After _that_ I have packages to deliver to Kaisa-sama at the Pale Court."

"Oh, in that case. Well. We _are_ using Mist resources to get to the mainland." Asuma looked over at Kakashi, who nodded against Iruka's scalp. No one questioned Hayase's implied assertion that she was the only Mist ninja sent to settle the potential piracy problem as well as relay likely confidential packages: in his particular occupation, Iruka frequently encountered children of A-class potential.

"Excellent! I will relay your consent to Una-sama immediately! I look forward to accompanying all of you on your trip!"

The room felt a little emptier once the girl-shaped natural force of bottled chipper wandered off, and Iruka wondered why Sakura's grin was beginning to look stretched. "Sakura-chan? Is something wrong?"

"Wrong? No? I mean, no! Hayase-san is very capable, I am sure!" Sakura turned pink whenever she was lying or resorting to verbal subterfuge (It was once suggested by Ibiki that a chuunin teacher be included in the interrogation of any missing-nin, as said teachers tended to have a great memory bank for the little eccentricities that their ex-charges showed upon lying).

"She's B-A-C, isn't she." Kakashi drawled. It wasn't a question, and Sakura flushed more brightly even as Asuma arched an eyebrow.

"B-A-C?"

"Just a group of _nnpmh_-"

Sakura laughed nervously, brittle and just this edge of hysterical, her palm clapped tight over Kakashi's mouth. "It's a Mist Kunoichi social group! They took me to ice cream and uh, dress shopping!"

"And what does it stand for?" One didn't need to be Sakura's teacher to know when she was trying to pull a fast one: Sakura didn't have the temperament needed. Asuma was smirking now, cigarette forgotten.

"Ano… er… Beautiful, er, Artistic Chicks!"

_BAC… BAC…_ why did that sound famil-_oh_. Iruka flushed nearly the same pretty tomato hue as his former student, and felt Kakashi snicker above him, arms tightening over his shoulders.

--

_Dear Diary_ (or so Iruka wrote in his head, as he was wheeled – damnit – out onto the dock before a waving procession headed by the very young and pretty Mizukage), _I hate my life_.

_About a month ago I was diagnosed with a fatal and incurable version of the chakra illness _Yume. _I was spiritually prepared to die gracefully in Konoha surrounded by my friends and loved ones, but my partner was hysterical in front of the Hokage and insisted that-_

"This is really unnecessary," Iruka muttered, clutching on tightly to the steel arms of the wheelchair as Kakashi pushed it up the gangway into the Mist ship. The ship was a scouting skipper, trim and sleek, and unassumingly and almost uniformly brown, including the sails. Irrationally, Iruka found it instantly depressing. "I can walk."

"Are we having this conversation again?" It had been about a couple of weeks since the 'cure', and Kakashi had stopped being a silent bundle of nerves that kept having to touch Iruka to make sure he was fine and returned to his normal slightly annoying self. Iruka welcomed the change. One of Kakashi's summons, Eishin, transformed at the moment into a spitting image of Akamaru, padded along beside them, bumping its nose occasionally against Iruka's wrist and wagging its tail.

_-I be given the only form of treatment the Hokage could remember that would work, which was that I travel to Mist with an escort to seek the aid of a Mist healer ninja. There were two immediate problems that nobody else seemed to think were problems: 1, Mist was nearly at war with Leaf; 2, the healer's brother had been killed by my partner's father sometime in the past._

_Unfortunately everybody had an instant bout of irrationality at the same time as Kakashi, and despite my protests a team was formed consisting of Kiba, Asuma, Shino and Sakura to escort me to Mist. Some distance out of Konoha I discovered that 'Kiba' was really Kakashi-_

He was wheeled up to the prow, and felt Kakashi relax against the soft fabric back of the wheelchair. The sea was restless around them, clawing against the hull in whispery hisses, flecking the deck occasionally with foam, and behind him he could hear Asuma speaking indistinctly to the Mizukage. Shino and Sakura busied about helping Mist ninja load their luggage into the hold, and Hayase was speaking brightly to the captain about flying fish.

_-and nobody agreed with me that the 'mission' had been compromised. Later on I realized that this was really a chuunin test for Sakura and Shino, and the possibility of complications with Kakashi going berserk if I were to die was part of their problem._

_In any case I was cured in Mist, but in exchange, we're now to enter unknown, dangerous territory and conduct espionage in a hostile Court far away from home chasing will o' wisps._

_I hate my life._

"Your face is like a storm cloud," Kakashi observed quietly above him. There was a thread of mirth in the drawl, which despite being spoken in Kiba's voice did not sound in the least like the sweet-natured Inuzuka boy.

"This is my first A-class mission," Iruka replied dryly, after managing to bury the spike of resentful irritation at being effectively dragged miles out of his comfort zone and into thornier and thornier tangles. He knew the stakes, of course: this was no longer about him, but about preventing war. That made thinking about the danger far easier. "Maybe I'm nervous."

Kakashi chuckled, over the noise of the deckhands preparing to sail, final farewells shouted over the rail by Hayase to the congregation. "What do you have to worry about? It's an espionage mission, and we have Shino-kun."

"You can't think it's that simple."

"Asuma and I have discussed matters," Kakashi said, his tone still unconcerned.

"I hope you're not feigning confidence for my sake."

"I can do other things for your sake, if you'll like," Kakashi's purr took Iruka by surprise, absorbed as the chuunin was in _what if_s and _why me_.

"Ka…" Iruka managed to swallow the yelp into a hurried cough. Kakashi was pretending to be _Kiba_ at the moment. Right. He lowered his voice quickly to a hiss, "There's _you know_ on board."

"They've been around since we've arrived at Mist," Kakashi smirked. "And remember that yukata, and the balcony…"

"We're _never_ going to do something so public _ever_ again."

"Maa…"

"Whining won't work either." Though the make-up sex afterwards had been pretty damned… no, wait. Iruka silently screamed at his brain for traitorously bringing up consequential images. He took a breath, suddenly thankful for the horrible blanket.

_Ah yes. And did I mention Kakashi and I are currently being stalked by some kunoichi organization called BAC? Not to mention that they have taken several highly compromising and embarrassing photographs of … ahem. I swear, this generation's kunoichi, Konoha as well-_

"Yes, _sensei_," Kakashi murmured, in _that_ breathy tone beside his ear, and Iruka flushed instantly to the roots of his hair.

"Don't. You look like Kiba." Iruka muttered, though his body was all too aware it was illusion. This was the man who had knocked all unbidden (and rather by accident, Gai-induced) at his heart, during the midsummer, and he'd welcomed him, psychoses, past and all, without even knowing he had.

"It matters?" And there was something _closed_ in Kakashi's tone, only partially joking.

"Kiba was my student," Iruka muttered, as a way of avoiding the question. "I've tutored him in math. I bought him ice-cream when he came to me crying because a girl he liked said Akamaru smelled like wet carpets. I've…"

"Mou, Iruka, I wasn't serious," Kakashi said, and Iruka reflected that when _Kakashi_ was lying, his tone turned altogether too light, and he knew that if he looked up at this moment, Kakashi's eyes would be crinkled in reflexive appearances of mirth.

The wind was cold across his skin, peppering his shirt with wet salt, and all he saw was the deceptive expanse of open blue, blanketed by the pale mist characteristic to the region. They would reach the mainland in two days, depending on the wind, and the port of the capital, Sochen, in another. There was time. "Let's um, go to the rooms. It's cold."

"All right, Iruka-sensei." Kiba's tone again, closed and in character.

Iruka sighed, reaching behind him to wrap fingers gently over one of the warm hands closed over the wheelchair's handles. It had been two weeks, and he still felt sublimally surprised that his fingers didn't tremble. Kakashi was highly strung, and Iruka knew that an upset Kakashi tended to let matters fester into permanent wounds, bottled under the mask and a crinkling eye.

So he arched a little against the wheelchair, after checking carefully with his peripheral vision for observers, and ran his free hand slowly down his abdomen, to rest low on his belly. "And then I might need a little more… aid." Iruka hated using this husky tone: he always felt self-consciously silly afterwards, but he couldn't deny the effect it had on Kakashi.

There was a hint of a growl laced into the studiously offhanded reply, and Iruka's lip curled into a brief grin. "Always a pleasure to help, Iruka-_sensei_."

--

Sakura shot the deck one last helpless glance and scurried down below decks. Iruka-sensei would be able to make some sense out of this, at least! He was so rational, everybody would listen to him (all actual evidence to the contrary ignored). Besides, it was rather early in the day to be resting, and he needed fresh air, and what was happening on deck _had_ to be worth interrupting rest for.

Rationality firmly on her side, she marched up to Iruka's cabin and knocked firmly on the door. "Iruka-sensei!"

There was a fumbling sound behind the door, then Iruka asked, cautiously, "Sakura-chan?"

Sakura frowned. Iruka's voice sounded a little odd, but she supposed it was likely sleep. "There's something very strange happening on deck that you should see, Iruka-sensei! Kakashi-sensei too."

"Um, _now_?" Iruka sounded strained. Surely he couldn't be that tired. Sakura hesitated for a moment. Could Iruka have been doing the… the… _it_… with Kakashi-sensei? But there were no strange sounds… er. Photographs in _that book_ leaped back into her mind, as well as the unwilling new knowledge (from said book) that there were certainly more ways of doing the _it_ than she had previously thought possible and not all of them necessarily involved sound, ahaha.

Post-traumatic memories pitched her voice a little higher. "Ano… unless you're busy right now-"

"Give me a few minutes, Sakura-chan, I'll meet you on deck." Iruka's voice sounded steadier.

Relieved, Sakura turned away, then blushed crimson when she heard a hissed, "No, we're _not_ busy at the moment, Kakashi! St-stop that!"

Oh dear. Kakashi-sensei was going to _kill_ her.

--

"I'm going to _kill_ Sakura," Kakashi muttered, as he helped Iruka pull on a shirt.

Iruka hid his smirk. Kakashi looked adorable, with the illusion off and his silver hair in a tangle tousled by clutching fingers, muttering dark curses under his breath and attempting to fix up his own clothes. "It's probably important."

"It had better be life and death. Preferably hers."

"Kakashi." He couldn't hold on to the stern tone, feeling a snicker well up into his throat: he had been in the midst of reciprocating a favor conducted with Kakashi's very talented mouth with hands and tongue, and had managed to get the silver-haired ninja sweating, arching and pressing at the bed with the heels of his feet when the knock had sounded.

"Under that sweet, adorable exterior you're really evil," Kakashi moaned, obviously and unashamedly feeling sorry for himself.

--

"Iruka-san! Kiba san!" Hayase waved cheerfully when they finally got on deck, Iruka primly tucked into the wheelchair and 'Kiba' radiating enough killing intent that it was fairly obvious to anyone with the 'sight' that he was no genin. Sakura made a soft 'eep' and hid behind Asuma, who glanced at her, then at Kakashi, and smirked.

Hayase seemed absolutely unconcerned, jogging on the spot, eyes turning back to the horizon.

"Er… what's happening?" Iruka asked, when 'Kiba wheeled him up next to Asuma.

"Lookout spotted an incoming Jyinyo pirate ship," Asuma explained, evidently interested enough in proceedings that he wasn't even smoking. "We're waiting for 'range', so the Captain tells me."

"Range? To?" Iruka shielded his eyes from the afternoon sun, but couldn't make out a shape on the blue horizon. "The ship? I can't see anything."

Asuma shrugged. "Beats me. Sakura and I have been asking questions, but nobody's been forthcoming. But it should be interesting."

"Hayase-san!" the lookout called from the crow's nest. "Ranged!"

"Thank you, Ino-san!" Hayase pushed up her classes with one finger, and ran for the rail, vaulting up and pushing herself off the edge. To Iruka's surprise, instead of falling into the water, the kunoichi arrowed out over the waves in an eyeblink, then there was on the very edge of vision a sudden roar of sound and a burst of white froth, displaced water… then a distant explosion.

"Weigh anchor!" the Captain shouted, in the stunned silence. "We go retrieve Hayase-san!"

As the crew scurried about around them, Asuma was the first to recover, reaching into his pockets for a cigarette. "A kunoichi social group, you say?"

--

"Mou… I hate doing this over water," Hayase said, and sneezed again. The kunoichi was wrapped up in bathrobes, with a warm towel draped over her hair and her feet in a steaming basin. Bright orange hair drooped under the folds of the towel, and she had long given up the fight with her glasses, instead peering myopically at the other occupant of the room, said glasses placed carefully on the dresser.

Due to space constraints on the ship, Hayase was sharing a room with Sakura, the latter currently involved in rinsing out towels and keeping the water hot. "That was amazing though, Hayase-san."

"Ano… it was nothing, Sakura-san." Hayase said quickly, and sneezed again. "My bloodline limit converts any kinetic energy into speed, and once we surpass the sound barrier, we can wield the energy waves that creates. The other BAC also have bloodline limits. Mine can be, um, inconvenient, and I'm still trying to refine it."

"Bloodline limits?" Sakura blinked. "Isn't BAC um, just er…"

"Bishounen appreciation?" Hayase smiled, and looked down at her slowly wrinkling toes. "Ya, the most powerful Mist kunoichi of this generation, Una-sama's personal guard."

"But… you people…"

"I think it's just a way to keep us occupied." Hayase shrugged. "So we don't… well. Mist has a fairly high rate of ninja going _missing_."

"Why? Your village is lovely, and, well, I've met lots of nice people, and your Mizukage seems capable."

"It's not like Konoha here," Hayase pulled the bathrobe over her shoulders. "Mainland has been trying to dissolve Hidden Mist for a long time. Many pockets of mainland Mist citizens have been persuaded to fear ninja. I suppose many of us feel trapped."

"But if they fear ninja, then how do you get missions?" Sakura frowned. Much of the revenue of Hidden villages came from the normal citizenry of the country.

"We don't get very many. That's what Una-sama fears, that this is part of the Mainland's plan. First to make us too dependent on the government's contracts, and then finally to cede all control. We don't know why this is happening: the last Mizukage tried to infiltrate the Pale Court, but her agents were unsuccessful." Hayase's face lit up into one of her disturbingly bright smiles. "But I am sure all of you will be successful! We have heard much of the Leaf!"

"Ah… hahaha!" Sakura laughed nervously. She could feel a headache coming.

-tbc-


End file.
